TRANSPORT

Blue Badge Scheme

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will extend the automatic qualifying criteria for the Blue Badge scheme to include recipients of attendance allowance.

Charlotte Atkins: There was no support during the last review of the scheme to extend it to this group of people and we have no plans to do so.
	The scheme is designed primarily to assist people with severe difficulty in walking which is reflected in the eligibility criteria for a badge. This includes an automatic qualifying criterion for those in receipt of the higher rate of the mobility component of disability living allowance on the basis that receipt of that benefit indicates that the applicant has considerable difficulty in walking.

Blue Badge Scheme

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will announce the publication of research into the eligibility of parents of children with severe autistic conditions for inclusion in the Blue Badge Scheme, following the Department's review of the scheme.

Charlotte Atkins: The research we will be undertaking will consider the mobility needs of a number of groups of disabled people who are currently excluded from the scheme. I can confirm that this research will include the needs of both adults and children with autistic conditions. This is one of three research projects we are taking forward as a direct result of the review of the scheme. We are finalising the work specifications and intend to go out to tender later this year for all three. On this particular project we would expect to have results and recommendations in the course of next year.

European Coastguard

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made of the consequences for the Royal Navy's (a) search and rescue and (b) coastal patrol roles of the creation of a European Coastguard.

David Jamieson: None, since there is no prospect of a proposal to establish a European coastguard being made or accepted.

A30 Goss Moors

Candy Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to make an announcement on the dualling of the A30 Goss Moors in Cornwall.

David Jamieson: The Department is in the process of reviewing the timing and relative priorities of all major schemes in the Highways Agency's trunk road programme in the light of this year's spending review. I hope to announce the outcome shortly.

Dartford Crossing

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much of the surplus from user charges for the Dartford Crossing was spent in transport projects in Essex and Kent in 2003–04.

David Jamieson: All income from charging at the Dartford Crossing is taken into account in the funding for the 10 year plan.

Departmental Press Releases

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many press releases have been issued by his Department in each month of 2004; and if he will make a statement.

Charlotte Atkins: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend, the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 11 November 2004, Official Report, column 857W.

Departmental Staff

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of the staff of the Department in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003 were people with disabilities.

Charlotte Atkins: I refer to the answer given on 9 November 2004, Official Report, column 620W, by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office.

Driving Licences (Chinese Visitors)

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to require Chinese visitors to the UK to have British driving licences before being allowed to drive in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The requirements for driving in the UK are the same for all holders of licences issued in countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA), including China. In order to be able to drive here, all individuals must hold a valid driving licence or International Driving Permit (IDP) showing the relevant driving entitlement.
	New residents may drive small vehicles for 12 months from the date they became resident. To ensure continuous driving entitlement, a British driving licence must be obtained before this period elapses.
	Visitors may drive all vehicles shown on their licence for 12 months from the date they last entered the country. They cannot drive beyond that period and are unable to obtain a British licence because they are not resident.
	The concessionary 12-month period in which holders of valid foreign driving licences can drive in this country is a long-standing arrangement. It was introduced for residents to allow sufficient time to become familiar with the road and traffic conditions here to take a driving test, and for visitors, in the interest of tourism and commerce.

Lighthouses

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent contracts for maintenance work the (a) Trinity House Lighthouse Service, (b) Northern Lighthouse Board and (c) Commissioners for Irish Lights have obtained from other bodies; and if he will list contracts (i) entered into and (ii) pending, broken down by financial value.

David Jamieson: The following tables provide information on recent and pending contracts, grouped by type of customer:
	
		(a) Trinity House Lighthouse Service -- £000
		
			  Contracts entered into since 1 April 2004 Contract bids pending 
		
		
			 Local authorities 4 4 
			 Utility companies 20 8 
			 Other private sector 43 — 
			 Total 67 12 
		
	
	
		(b) Northern Lighthouse Board -- £000
		
			  Contracts entered into since 1 April 2004 Contract bids pending since 1 April 2004 
		
		
			 Local authorities 11 — 
			 Utility companies 4 — 
			 Other private sector 42 — 
			 Total 57 0 
		
	
	
		(c) Commissioners of Irish Lights -- £000
		
			  Contracts entered into since 1 April 2004 Contract bids pending 
		
		
			 Local authorities/  Government Departments 98 — 
			 Utility companies 0 — 
			 Other private sector 123 — 
			 Total 221 0

M6

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many responses were received to the document, M6: giving motorists a choice—a consultation proposal, from (a) individuals, (b) motoring and transport lobbying groups, (c) businesses and commercial associations, (d) environmental groups, (e) councils, parishes and other local or regional authorities and (f) honourable Members; how many were received in total; and how many in each category were (i) in favour of development of the option of an M6 Expressway, (ii) against the development of such an option and (iii) neither for nor against this option;
	(2)  when he proposes to announce (a) the results of and (b) his response to the consultation on the document M6: giving motorists a choice;
	(3)  what methodology he proposes to use in giving weight to each of the responses received to the consultation M6: giving motorists a choice, before announcing his decision regarding further development of the option of an M6 expressway between Birmingham and Manchester.

David Jamieson: holding answer 11 November 2004
	By the closing date for this consultation exercise we had received approximately 5,260 responses as well as a number of petitions amounting to around 3,000 signatures. The responses are currently being analysed. Details of the responses received will be included in our published response to the consultation. We will publish our response once we have reached our conclusion in the light of the analysis of the responses. The methodology we adopt to analyse the responses will be explained as part of this published response.

M6

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a list of those responding to his consultation M6: giving motorists a choice.

David Jamieson: The responses are currently being analysed. Details of the responses received will be included in our published response to the consultation.

Meetings

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list meetings he has held with (a) officials and (b) members of (i) passenger transport authorities and (ii) passenger transport executives since 1 March.

Charlotte Atkins: The Secretary of State has met during the course of regional visits since March representatives of Nexus in Tyne and Wear, Merseytravel in Merseyside and Centro in the West Midlands.

Private Finance Initiatives

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the private finance initiative arrangements in which the Department is engaged; what the total cost of each arrangement is (a) over its lifetime and (b) in each year of its operation; and how the arrangement appears in the Department's public accounts.

Charlotte Atkins: The forecast capital value of PFI contracts awarded by the Department for Transport and its Agencies are reported to Parliament on a six-monthly basis. Details are available from the HM Treasury website.
	Details of the (a) lifetime total and (b) forecast annual unitary charge payments for all the PFI contracts awarded by the Department for Transport and its agencies have been placed in the Libraries of the House. The payment of the full unitary charge sum is contingent on the contractor providing a quality service in line with the project's output specification.
	The Department for Transport Resource Accounts record:
	(a) a list of Private Finance Initiative contracts the Department has entered into;
	(b) the imputed finance lease obligations under on balance sheet PFI; and
	(c) the charge to the operating cost statement for future commitments.
	The information in the Resource Accounts relates to Highways Agency. Payments by the Vehicle Operator and Services Agency are not consolidated into the Department's Resource Accounts.

Railways

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what meetings his Department has had with representatives of (a) Network Rail, (b) the train operating companies and (c) others in the rail industry about the changes being made to the structure of the railways.

Alistair Darling: Both my ministerial colleagues and I, as well as my officials, met and continue to meet regularly with a wide range of representatives from the rail industry following the announcement of the Rail Review in January this year and publication in July of the Rail White Paper—"The Future of Rail".

Railways

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions (a) he and (b) his Department have had with the Prime Minister on the future of the railway industry.

Alistair Darling: I meet with the Prime Minister on a regular basis to discuss a range of transport issues.

Regulatory Impact Assessments

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what the aggregate annual cost obtained by adding the costs in each regulatory impact assessment is of regulations imposed by his Department since 1997;
	(2)  what his latest estimate is of the costs to (a) Government and (b) regulators of transport regulation in a year;
	(3)  what his latest estimate is of the compliance cost to business of transport regulation in a year.

Charlotte Atkins: All proposals which impact on business, charities or the voluntary sector require a regulatory impact assessment (RIA) which includes details of the costs, benefits and risks of the proposal. RIAs are subject to public consultation and copies of final RIAs are available from the House Libraries and on the departmental website at http://www.dft.gov.uk/.

Remote Regional Airports

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce a compulsory scheme of six months' notice of intention before withdrawal of flights serving remote regional airports.

Charlotte Atkins: There is presently no legal basis on which compulsory notification of withdrawal from a route could be required. However, the Department recently consulted on a voluntary scheme where an airline operating regional air services to London airports, would give four months notice of any intention to withdraw from, or reduce services on, regional routes. The consultation closed on 8 November and we will be considering the responses carefully.

Remote Regional Airports

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research he has commissioned on the role frequency of flights plays in the (a) economic and (b) social wellbeing of remote rural areas.

Charlotte Atkins: The Department for Transport has not commissioned any analysis to be carried out on the role frequency of flights plays in the economic and social wellbeing of remote rural areas.

Rotherwas Access Road

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received concerning the proposed Rotherwas access road; and if he will make a statement.

Charlotte Atkins: The Secretary of State for Transport has received 19 representations about the proposed Rotherwas access road. In March this year, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Tony McNulty) met with Herefordshire council to discuss the scheme and other transport matters. I also met with my hon. Friend and Hertfordshire council recently to discuss the Rotherwas access road.
	The proposed road was initially submitted to DfT for approval in July 2003. The scheme was not approved and the council were informed that further consideration was required as to whether the scheme provides value for money for the benefits to be gained, the extent of the potential employment benefits and whether the scheme proposed is the best option for improving access to the estate. The scheme was re-submitted in July 2004. The Secretary of State for Transport will make an announcement about this and other schemes later this year as part of the Local Transport Settlement.

South East Trains

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what steps he will take to ensure the public gets value for money from the future operators of the South East Trains franchise;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with South East Trains about the future of its franchise;
	(3)  if he will list the performance against each target set for South East Trains for each month since it took over from Connex; what the performance figures were for the same periods in the previous five years; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what measures he will put in place to ensure that train services do not deteriorate if the South East Trains franchise is put back into the private sector.

Tony McNulty: South East Trains (SET) is being operated as a subsidiary of the Strategic Rail Authority under s.30 of the Railways Act 1993 pending its re-franchising as part of the new Integrated Kent Franchise (IKF). The Department has frequent discussions with the SRA on a variety of issues.
	We expect the new operator for IKF franchise to be in place late 2005. The operator will be chosen by a process of competitive tendering. The winner of the competition will be the bidder that offers best value for money for passengers and taxpayers throughout the life of the franchise. The franchise agreement will specify performance and service standards that the operator will need to meet otherwise be in breach of the franchise agreement.
	SET's passengers' charter sets targets for punctuality and reliability. If the moving annual average falls below the relevant threshold it will trigger compensation payments to season tickets holders. The targets for punctuality and reliability on their main line services are 82 per cent. and 98 per cent. respectively. The targets for punctuality and reliability on their Metro services are 86.5 per cent. and 98 per cent. respectively. A table showing SET's passengers charter performance per four-week period over the last five years has been placed in the Library of the House.
	The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) measures train operator performance using the public performance measure (PPM) which combines punctuality and reliability. PPM is published in the SRA's National Rail Trends, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

Traffic Management Act

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will publish the new regulatory impact assessment for the Traffic Management Act 2004.

Charlotte Atkins: We have no plans to produce a new Regulatory Impact Assessment covering the Traffic Management Act as a whole. However, many of the provisions in the Act will need to be brought into force by way of secondary legislation. Where this is the case we will publish separate assessments covering each of these. We expect to publish the first of these assessments next year.

Traffic Management Act

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what targets he has set for improvement in performance for (a) utility companies and (b) highway authorities over the next three years under the Traffic Management Act 2004.

Charlotte Atkins: We are not proposing to set overall targets for improvement in performance under the Traffic Management Act 2004. We intend activating key powers and duties under the Act over the coming year. We will be devising a monitoring regime to measure the impact of the Act, covering both utilities and highway authorities.

Victoria Embankmnet (Closure)

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons Victoria Embankment was closed to traffic on the evening of 19 September; and for what reasons diversion notices were not put in place.

Tony McNulty: Victoria Embankment was closed to traffic in the evening of 19 September for the Mayor's Thames Festival. I understand that the Festival organisers arranged for diversion notices to be put out 10 days before the event; and that Transport for London also put diversion notices on the dot matrix displays on their road network.

CABINET OFFICE

Departmental Responsibilities

Julian Lewis: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to her answer of 3 November 2004, Official Report, columns 268–69W, on departmental responsibilities, what estimate has been made of the sum from within her Department's budget to be used to meet the cost of appointing a separate Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave him on 10 November 2004, Official Report, column 769W.

Draft Civil Service Bill

Tony Wright: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when the Government will publish a draft Civil Service Bill for consultation.

Ruth Kelly: The Government are today publishing its proposals for legislation for the Civil Service. This fulfils the Government's commitment, given in its response to the ninth report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, to publish a draft Bill as a basis for further consultation following the publication of the Public Administration Select Committee's proposal for a Civil Service Act.
	Copies of the consultation paper and the draft Bill have been placed in the Libraries of the House, and can be accessed at www.cabinet-office.gov.uk.
	We would welcome comments on the consultation paper and the draft Bill by 28 February 2005.

Engagements

Julian Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list his public engagements individually for the week beginning 8 November.

Alan Milburn: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to him on 2 November 2004, Official Report, columns 223–24W.

High Sheriffs (CPOs)

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the liability of High Sheriffs in the case of improper enforcement of compulsory purchase orders.

Keith Hill: I have been asked to reply.
	Where the owner or occupier of land which an authority has been authorised to acquire under the terms of a compulsory purchase order refuses to give up possession of it, the authority may issue a warrant to the Sheriff who is then authorised to take possession of the land using sufficient force to enable this to be achieved. The Sheriff is also responsible for settling the costs accruing as a result of the issuing and execution of the warrant. These powers are provided in section 13 of the Compulsory Purchase Act 1965, with similar powers in section 91 of the Lands Consolidation Act 1845 for compulsory purchase orders to which the provisions of that Act apply.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Africa/Caribbean/Pacific

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on EU FLEX financial support to the African, Caribbean and Pacific regions to smooth export earnings.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The FLEX mechanism is a compensatory financing mechanism provided from the EU's European Development Fund under the Cotonou Agreement for African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. It has been in place since 2000. Its objectives are:
	to provide support in the case of short-term fluctuations in export earnings in order to safeguard reforms and policies at risk as a result of a fall in revenue; and
	to remedy the adverse effects of instability of export earnings in particular from agricultural and mining products.
	Until June of this year there were two eligibility criteria to receive funding from FLEX:
	(i) A 10 per cent. (2 per cent. in the case of least developed countries) loss of export earnings compared with the arithmetical average of earnings in the first three years of the four years preceding the application; and
	(ii) A 10 per cent. worsening in the programmed public deficit programmed for the year in question or forecast for the following year.
	Between its inception in 2000 and March 2004 only €35million was disbursed. Of the 51 applications, only nine met both eligibility criteria. In March 2004, the EC proposed revisions to relax FLEX's eligibility criteria, in order to ensure that it responded more effectively to its stated objectives.
	In July, the EU and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States agreed to modify the eligibility criteria as follows:
	(a) To criteria 1: Extension to landlocked and island ACP states of the more favourable provision of having to only have suffered a 2 per cent. loss of export earnings (rather than 10 per cent.); and
	(b) Reduction of the second criteria from a 10 per cent. to a 2 per cent. worsening of programmed public deficit.
	The European Commission has agreed to undertake a review of FLEX by the beginning of 2005 at the latest, and annually thereafter. The evaluation will provide an initial assessment of the impact of these modifications. It is expected that they will result in an increase in the number of successful applicants, and the overall level of FLEX assistance provided.

AIDS

Michael Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much the Department spent on support for people in sub-Saharan Africa with AIDS and their families (a) directly and (b) through the EU in the last year for which figures are available.

Hilary Benn: Sub-Saharan Africa is home to 24 of the 25 countries with the highest levels of HIV prevalence: between 25 and 28 million people are infected with HIV in Africa. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) estimate that in 2003 alone, 2.3 million Africans died of AIDS. Despite high death rates, the number of people infected continues to rise. The Department for International Development attaches significant importance to addressing the epidemic globally, but most particularly in Africa. Our response needs to be comprehensive and broad if we are to have impact.
	DFID spent over £270 million globally on HIV/AIDS programmes in 200–03. About two-thirds of this support was targeted at sub-Saharan Africa. DFID is one of the leading bilateral donors in support for HIV/AIDS. In addition, since 1997, DFID has provided over £1 billion of assistance to the development of the health sector.
	In this financial year the Prime Minister launched our new AIDS strategy, which commits us to spending £1.5 billion over the next three years, with £50 million per year of this to be spent on support for orphans and vulnerable children. We are also on course to achieve overall development assistance levels of £1 billion per annum for Africa by the end of 2005 and will use the Presidency of both the G8 and the European Union in 2005 to concentrate upon both Africa and HIV and AIDS.
	European Union (EU) activities to combat AIDS in developing countries is carried out within the framework of the European Commission's Programme for Action (PfA), entitled: "Accelerated action on HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB in the context of poverty reduction". The PfA aims to increase the impact of existing interventions to combat HIV/AIDS; increase the affordability of pharmaceuticals; and encourage investment in research for the development of global public goods to tackle HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria.
	The Commission's average annual expenditure on the HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, which is mainly through the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) is currently €269 million per year. About 70 per cent. of GFATM expenditure goes to HIV/AIDS, while 60 per cent. of the total is spent in Africa (tentatively translating into €113 million per year for Africa). In addition to this direct expenditure, average annual EC global financing for the health sector is estimated as €565 million per year. Finally, HIV/AIDS prevalence rates are used as an important indicator in all countries where the EC is providing budget support.
	The UK's significant contributions to the European Commission Development Budget and the European Development Fund however can not be tracked back specifically to use on HIV/AIDS in Africa. Most EC resources are allocated by region or country in response to country government's own priorities, and details of the proportion of UK support for HIV and AIDS are not available centrally. However, the UK has been working hard within the EU to protect the principles agreed at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo in 1994, which redefined sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Commission for Africa

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the Commission for Africa.

Hilary Benn: pursuant to my reply, 9 November 2004, Official Report, c. 557W
	There was a slight delay in putting the Commission for Africa consultation document on the commission website. I can now confirm that it was placed on the website on 11 November 2004.

EU Development Aid

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the untying of EU development aid.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID welcomes the agreement of the Council to untie all the development programmes managed by the European Commission. This is consistent with our White Paper commitment to work for multilateral untying. DFID wants the agreement to be put into practice as soon as possible. A draft implementing Regulation, which must be agreed by both the Council and the European Parliament, is under discussion.
	EU aid contracts will be open to non-EU donors on a reciprocal basis as well as to suppliers from developing countries. By untying aid in this way, Europe is giving an international lead and a practical example for other donors to consider as the basis for further untying by members of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD).

EU Development Aid

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment has been made of the response of (a) recipients and (b) other donors to the EU decision to untie its development aid.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The draft Regulation requires the consent of a recipient to the untying of its aid from the EU. I am confident recipients will welcome the benefits offered by this further untying of the Community's development assistance. Other donors are continuing to discuss further untying in the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD).

Goats

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of aid programmes involving providing goats to women and families in the developing world; what support the Department is giving to such programmes; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID has made no formal assessment, but has funded a range of non-governmental organisations such as ActionAid and Farm Africa in programmes whose primary goal has been the provision of goats directly to women and families in the developing world. Since 1990, DFID has spent or committed in excess of £3 million on such programmes. DFID has also supported many broader rural development programmes within which the provision of goats has played an important role.

Sierra Leone

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on UK development aid in Sierra Leone.

Hilary Benn: The UK Government programme to Sierra Leone is managed through a 10 year Agreement that commits the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) to reforms in exchange for DFID support. The main areas of our programme are security sector reform, governance reform including public administration reform, decentralisation, public financial management, diamond sector reform, anti corruption measures and budgetary support. DFID has committed £120 million to the first three years of the Agreement, which was signed in November 2002.
	A particular feature of the Agreement is the inclusion of performance benchmarks agreed between the UK Government and the GoSL. Quarterly reviews of progress against the performance benchmarks are held with Sierra Leone authorities. DFID is arranging a joint review of the Agreement with the GoSL.

Sri Lanka

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much development aid to Sri Lanka has been channelled through (a) the Sri Lanka Government and (b) non-governmental organisations in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: Figures for DFID bilateral aid to Sri Lanka, in each of the last three financial years, are as follows:
	
		£ million
		
			  2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Sri Lanka 1.391 1.051 0.502 
			 Government Expenditure in partnership with International Organisations (e.g. United Nations or World Bank) 0.820 1.566 4.833 
			 NGOs 1.740 1.895 2.068 
			 Others 0.788 1.219 0.696 
			 Total 4.739 5.731 8.099 
		
	
	In addition DFID contributes to programmes financed from the Global Conflict Prevention Pool (GCPP). This is a pooled fund to which DFID, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence contribute. GCPP expenditure is £153,000 in 2003–04 and an estimated £178,000 in 2004–05. Most of this is channelled through NGOs.
	The United Kingdom also contributes a proportion of the cost of European Community development expenditure in Sri Lanka and core programmes by multilateral organisations. Expenditure details for these are available only up to 2002, and are set out in the following table:
	
		£ million
		
			  2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 European Community 0.9 0.8 1.0 
			 United Nations 0.6 0.7 0.6 
			 World Bank 1.3 1.1 0.0 
			 Other 1.9 0.2 0.0 
			 Total 4.7 2.8 1.6 
		
	
	The withdrawal of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) from the peace talks in 2003, and the subsequent stalling of the peace process, has prevented implementation of a number of initiatives. This has resulted in an underspend of the agreed allocations of development aid to Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps are taken to ensure that development aid in Sri Lanka is not diverted to illegal or corrupt purposes.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID takes careful precautions to prevent development aid funds being misused. We demand annual audited reports from all programmes we finance and reserve the right to commission independent audits should we deem necessary.
	The bulk of our funds are channelled through international organisations such as the United Nations and the World Bank. Financial management systems and audit in these organisations are thorough and regularly reviewed.
	Where we provide support through non-government organisations, such as OXFAM and Save the Children, DFID has reviewed their financial control and audit systems and confirmed that they are of high standard.
	Our programmes with the Sri Lankan Government are managed by reputable UK based consultants. Again DFID has reviewed their financial control and audit processes to confirm that they meet required standards.

Sri Lanka

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much UK bilateral aid has been allocated to Sri Lanka in each of the last three years; how much is projected for the next two years; how much has been spent in the Tamil areas of Sri Lanka; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: UK aid allocations to Sri Lanka from 2002–03 to 2004–05 are:
	
		£ million
		
			  Amount Approximate amount spent in the North East of Sri Lanka: 
		
		
			 2002–03 5.5 1.6 
			 2003–04 15 0.3 
			 2004–05 14 (1)0.749 
		
	
	(1) Estimate.
	The planned allocation for 2005–06 is £4 million, which will be reviewed as part of DFID's annual resource allocation exercise that will conclude in the new year. Figures for 2006–07 and beyond have not yet been agreed.
	Most DFID programmes support initiatives that cover the whole of Sri Lanka. A breakdown of expenditure in the North East under these programmes is not readily available. The figures provided for expenditure in the North East relate to programmes, such as de-mining, that focus solely upon the needs of communities directly affected by the conflict.

Uganda

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the humanitarian impact of the Lord's Resistance Army in northern Uganda; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: I refer the hon. Member for Moray to the statement I made in the House on 10 November 2004, Official Report, column 832.

TREASURY

Teenage Pregnancy Rates

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the teenage pregnancy rates in (a) Wales and (b) England were in each year since 1996.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Bill Wiggin, dated 15 November 2004
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the teenage pregnancy rates in (a) Wales and (b) England were in each year since 1996.I am replying in his absence. (197410)
	The most recent year for which conception statistics are available is 2002 and figures for this year are provisional.
	The data requested are given in the table.
	
		Under 18 conception numbers and rates, 1996–2002
		
			  England Wales 
			  Number Rate Number Rate 
		
		
			 1996 40,557 45.9 2,932 53.5 
			 1997 40,463 45.5 2,895 52.2 
			 1998 41,089 46.6 3,030 55.0 
			 1999 39,247 44.8 2,781 51.1 
			 2000 38,700 43.6 2,649 48.0 
			 2001 38,461 42.5 2,529 45.5 
			 2002(2) 39,350 42.6 2,601 45.9 
		
	
	(2) provisional

Child Tax Credit

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many child tax credit claimants he has written to with details about the process of finalising their 2003–04 claim and renewing a claim for 2004–05 reassessments; and how many have responded;
	(2)  what the (a) total and (b) average value is of tax credits (i) overpayments and (ii) underpayments that (A) have been repaid and (B) are outstanding;
	(3)  how many tax credits awards for 2003–04 have been finalised; of these, how many families have had their subsequent rewards (a) reduced and (b) increased because of overpayments or underpayments; and what the value was of (i) overpayments and (ii) underpayments of (A) child tax credit and (B) working tax credit.

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax credit renewal forms were received back for the 2004–05 year by 30 September; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Tax credit awards are initially set using latest circumstances and previous year income. Families are encouraged to report changes in both income and circumstances in year; any changes not notified in year will be picked up at the end of the year when tax credit awards are finalised. In this way the tax credits strike a balance between a system that provides certainty of support, and a system that responds to changes in family need. Furthermore, the first £2,500 of any income rise is ignored.
	As I announced on 19 November 2003, Official Report, columns 1099–1100W, in a written answer to the hon. Member for Birmingham Northfield (Richard Burden) from April, Inland Revenue wrote to all families who had had a 2003–04 tax credit award to explain the action they needed to take to finalise their 2003–04 award and to renew their award for 2004–05. Families were sent reminder letters and as the 30 September deadline approached, those that had not returned their annual declaration were telephoned as a further reminder. Many families contacted the helpline, both for help and to provide the information necessary to finalise and renew their awards. All of this activity was supported by an extensive publicity campaign involving television, radio and newspaper advertisements which began in April and ran across the summer.
	Families benefiting from the Child Tax Credit through IS/JSA continue to receive their support in this way and are not part of the renewals process. And families receiving the family element only were told that they needed to contact the Inland Revenue only if their income had changed significantly or their circumstances had changed. This has meant that 1.3 million families did not need to contact the Inland Revenue and these families will have their awards renewed automatically. A further 3.7 million have returned their annual declaration enabling their 2003–04 award to be finalised and their initial award for 2004–05 to be set. At the start of October, around 200,000 families had neither renewed their award nor contacted the Inland Revenue and stood to have their awards cut off.
	For 2003–04 tax credit awards were set using 2001–02 income. As set out in "The Child and Working Tax Credits. The Modernisation of Britain's Tax and Benefit System Number Ten April 2002", the first £2,500 rise in income will be disregarded for tax credits. This disregard means that many families will not see their tax credits reduced as their incomes rise. The Code of Practice 26 sets out what happens when tax credits have been over or under paid. Analysis of the numbers of families with over or underpayments and the values of these will only be available once all awards have been finalised. This will only be after the deadline of 31 January for reporting of final 2003–04 income for those families only able to provide an estimate by the 30 September deadline. Statistics on over and underpayments will be published in Spring 2005 under National Statistics.

Child Tax Credit

Keith Bradley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in Manchester, Withington have received child tax credits.

John Healey: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. friend the Paymaster General to the hon. Member for Wansdyke (Dan Morris) on 12 July 2004, Official Report, columns 992–93W.
	Figures for early December 2004 will be published on 23 December.

Chronic Pain

Iris Robinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate has been made of the number of days lost from work as the result of chronic pain in each of the last 10 years.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mrs. Iris Robinson, dated 15 November 2004
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the number of working days lost because of chronic pain. I am replying in his absence. (197611)
	The Labour Force Survey (LFS) gives estimates of the number of working days lost due to sickness or injury during the reference week. However, the LFS does not collect information about the types of illnesses or injuries which cause sickness absence. Therefore, information about the number of working days lost because of chronic pain is not available.
	The attached table gives estimates of the total number of working days lost due to sickness or injury in the United Kingdom for the twelve-month periods ending in August each year from 2002 to 2004. This information is not available for previous years due to a change in the LFS questions on sickness absence.
	
		Number of working days lost due to sickness or injuryUnited Kingdom 12 months ending in August each year from 2002 to 2004 -- thousand
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2002 111,741 
			 2003 103,743 
			 2004 104,801 
		
	
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey

Civil Service Jobs

Harold Best: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the impact on public services resulting from the proposals to reduce the number of civil service jobs.

Paul Boateng: Civil Service workforce reductions are an integral part of the efficiency programme that will generate over £20 billion of savings to invest in essential, frontline services. The programme is based on rigorous and detailed evidence as set out in releasing resources to the front line—Independent Review of Public Sector Efficiency published by Sir Peter Gershon in July 2004.

Correspondence

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Chair of the Inland Revenue expects to reply to the letter dated 24 August from the hon. Member for Workington regarding Mr. and Mrs. S. Hully.

John Healey: I understand that the Inland Revenue has made a thorough investigation of Mr. and Mrs. Hully's case and wrote to the hon. Member on 11 November 2004.

Departmental Offices

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost of (a) decoration and (b) refurbishment of the London offices of the Department was in each of the last four years.

Stephen Timms: In April 2001 the Inland Revenue (including Valuation Office Agency) and HM Customs and Excise outsourced the management and maintenance of all of their offices to Mapeley under the STEPS contract. Costs of decoration and refurbishment are included in a single unitary price that the departments pay to Mapeley on a site-by-site basis. Separate costs specific to London offices are therefore not available for the years since 2001–02.
	For 2000–01 the data available for the Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise includes amounts for refurbishment, decoration, maintenance, service charges and other accommodation costs. To extract this information would entail disproportionate cost.
	In the summer of 2002, the Treasury moved into 1 Horse Guards Road under a PFI agreement. The total costs of refurbishment of that building were given in answer to the hon. Member for South Norfolk, (Mr. Bacon) on 5 February 2002 (Official Report, column 837W). Under the terms of the PFI agreement, ongoing decoration and refurbishment costs are met by Exchequer Partnership.

Departmental Staff

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the staff in his Department in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003 were people with disabilities.

Stephen Timms: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Ruth Kelly) on 9 November 2004, Official Report, columns 619–20W.

Drug-related Deaths (Wales)

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many drug-related deaths there have been in Wales in each year since 1996.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Bill Wiggin, dated 15 November 2004
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many drug-related deaths there were in Wales in each year since 1996. I am replying in his absence. (197409)
	Available figures relate to deaths from drug poisoning, not the total number that were drug-related. The most recently available information is for deaths in 2002. Figures are shown in the table below for the calendar years 1996 to 2002.
	
		Number of deaths from drug-related poisoning(3),Wales, 1996 to 2002 2
		
			  Number of deaths 
		
		
			 1996 126 
			 1997 132 
			 1998 150 
			 1999 139 
			 2000 173 
			 2001 175 
			 2002 152 
		
	
	(3) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 292, 304, 305.2–305.9, E850-E858, E950.0-E950.5, E962.0 andE980.0-E980.5 for 1996 to 2000, and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes F11-F16, F18-F19, X40-X44, X60-X64, X85 and Y10-Y14from 2001 onwards.
	(4) Data are for deaths occurring in each calendar year.

Economic Growth

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the rate of economic growth in (a) Hampshire and (b) the area covered by Portsmouth, Southampton, Fareham, Gosport, Havant and Eastleigh local authorities for the most recent period for which data are available.

Stephen Timms: HM Treasury monitors economic progress across the UK, down to the county, local authority and constituency level. Economic activity rates in Hampshire are now higher, and unemployment rates now lower, than the national average. Since 1997 we have seen reductions in unemployment of over 50 per cent. in each of the Portsmouth, Southampton, Fareham, Gosport, Havant, and Eastleigh local authorities and the lowest unemployment in Hampshire since records began.

Economic Growth

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the relationship between increase in housing stock and economic growth.

Stephen Timms: The interim and final reports of the Barker Review of Housing Supply, published in December 2003 and March 2004, respectively, contain an assessment of the UK housing stock and housing supply and their relationship with the wider economy. These can be found on HM Treasury's website at:
	www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/pre_budget_report/prebud_pbr03/prebud_pbr03_index
	and
	www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/budget/budget_04/bud_bud04_ index.cfm

Fraud

Bill Tynan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on cross-border cooperation (a) within the EU and (b) with states outside the EU to tackle (i) VAT fraud and (ii) fraud arising from manipulation of transfer pricing.

John Healey: Officials work very closely with their counterparts both within and outside the EU to tackle all types of tax fraud.

Green Ministers

John Horam: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Green Ministers his Department has had since 1997.

John Healey: The Treasury has had five Green Ministers since 1997.

Gross Domestic Product

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the gross domestic product of (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) the UK was in 2003.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Bill Wiggin, dated 15 November 2004
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about GDP in England, Wales and the UK in 2003. I am replying in his absence. (197411)
	Figures for 2003 are not yet available. The latest published information is for 2002.
	The estimates in the table below are based on the regional Gross Value Added 1 (GVA) estimates published in April 2004. These are available on the National Statistics website at http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=7359
	
		GVA England, Wales and United Kingdom (£ million)
		
			 Year Total GVA England Total GVA Wales Total GVA UK less Extra-Regio(6) 
		
		
			 1997 600,123 28,590 705,553 
			 1998 639,746 29,747 749,692 
			 1999 669,847 30,721 783,395 
			 2000 699,768 31,865 817,292 
			 2001 737,727 33,351 860,116 
			 2002 775,266 35,084 903,836 
		
	
	(5) Information presented here is Gross Value Added (GVA) which is Gross Domestic Product (GDP) less taxes (plus subsidies) on products.
	(6) Extra Regio is that part of the UK's economic territory which cannot be allocated to any specific region.

Interest Rates (Eltham)

Clive Efford: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of interest rates on the constituency of Eltham over the last 15 years; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: Interest rates are set by the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to meet the inflation target set by the Government, which is currently a 2 per cent. annual rise in the Consumer Prices Index (CPI). The MPC was set up in 1997 as a body independent of government and political influence. This reform has worked well—it has brought stability and transparency to monetary policy, resulted in low and stable inflation and interest rates and has anchored inflation expectations to the inflation target. Today, interest rates are at their lowest level for 40 years. Since May 1997, interest rates have averaged 5.3 per cent. This compares to an average rate of 10.5 per cent. between 1979 and 1997.
	The Bank of England Act requires the MPC to collect the necessary regional information when making interest rate decisions and this requirement is enforced by the court of directors of the Bank.

NUTS 2

Michael Moore: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the review by the Office of National Statistics and Eurostat of NUTS 2 statistical areas to (a) begin and (b) be completed.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Michael Moore, dated 15 November 2004
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on when the review by the Office for National Statistics and Eurostat of NUTS2 statistical areas is expected to (a) begin and (b) be completed. I am replying in his absence. (198043)
	There is scheduled to be a general review of NUTS (Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics) by Eurostat in the second half of 2006 with its implementation planned for 1st January 2008. The ONS will consult widely as it did in 1998 before submitting a UK response.
	NUTS is the statistical geography that is used across the 15 "old" EU member states. There is also a proposal COM (2004) 592 dated 15 September 2004 before the European Council and the European Parliament to amend Regulation (EC) No 1059/2003 to extend NUTS to the 10 "new" EU member states. This regulation formalised a 3 level hierarchy (NUTS levels 1 to 3) through its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities on 21 June 2003.

Personal and Retirement Savings

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of Government policy on (a) personal and (b) retirement saving.

Stephen Timms: The Government provides tax support of £2 billion every year for savers through Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and other products, resulting in increased take-up of ISAs for both the low-income and the young. The Government also provides generous tax relief for pension saving worth over £11 billion in net terms to individuals and employers and is simplifying the pensions regime by replacing eight regimes with just one, providing greater choice and flexibility to 15 million pension savers.
	The Government's wide-ranging support for savings and pensions includes empowering individuals with financial information, improved access to advice, and savings products that are simple and easy to understand. With ISAs, pensions simplification and by implementing the recommendations of the Sandier review, the Government is delivering new incentives, greater choice and simpler products for all savers and pensioners. In addition, the pension credit provides for the first time a reward for saving for people with modest savings and small occupational pensions.

Redundancies (West Midlands)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the latest figures for the number of redundancies in the West Midlands.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Jim Cunningham dated 15 November 2004
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about redundancy. I am replying in his absence. (197468)
	Based upon Labour Force Survey interviews carried out during the three months ending August 2004, it is estimated that 11,000 people resident in the West Midlands had been made redundant in the past three months.
	These estimates from the Labour Force Survey are, as with any sample survey, subject to sampling variability.

Tax Credit Office (Preston)

David Winnick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how long the Director of the Tax Credit Office in Preston has been in his post.

John Healey: The Director of the Tax Credit Office was appointed to the post on 6 May 2002.

Tax Credit Office (Preston)

David Winnick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 9 November 2004, Official Report, columns 655–56W, on correspondence, what percentage of replies to hon. Members from the tax credit office in Preston in the 12 months prior to 1 April went out within 15 working days.

John Healey: The information requested is not available.

Tax Credit Office (Preston)

David Winnick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Inland Revenue officials are employed in the Tax Credit Office in Preston; and if he will list the names of (a) the director, (b) the deputy director and (c) the four next most senior officials in the office.

John Healey: The Inland Revenue employs the equivalent of around 2,700 full-time staff in the Tax Credit Office, which is based in Preston and Liverpool.
	My right hon. Friend the Paymaster General has asked the Director of the Tax Credit Office to write to the hon. Member separately explaining the structure of the Tax Credit Office and their processes for dealing with correspondence from hon. Members.

Tax Credit Office (Preston)

David Winnick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 9 November 2004, Official Report, columns 655–56W, on correspondence, for what reasons it would not be practical for the Director of the Tax Credit Office to reply personally to hon. Members writing on behalf of constituents.

John Healey: The Director of Child Benefit and Tax Credit Operations has overall responsibility for the Tax Credit Office and the Child Benefit Office. Taking into account all the other duties of the Director it is not practical for him to reply personally to all of these letters and his Customer Relations Manager usually replies on his behalf. This is normal departmental practice, and the Director remains responsible for the replies sent out by his office.

Tax Credits

Vera Baird: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people claimed the new deal for 50-plus employment credit between April 2002 and March 2003; and how many people claimed the working tax credit 50-plus element between April 2003 and March 2004.

John Healey: I understand from the Department for Work and Pensions that about 31,000 people in the United Kingdom aged 50 or more received the New Deal 50-plus employment credit after returning to work between April 2002 and March 2003.
	For the number finally benefiting from the 50-plus return to work element in working tax credit, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right honourable Friend the Paymaster General to the hon. Member for Havant (Mr. Willetts) on 28 October 2004, Official Report, column 1382W.

Tax Credits

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance has been offered on how long a claimant should be waiting after submitting a completed tax credit application form before they are advised of (a) the outcome of their claim and (b) their first payment; and if he will publish that guidance.

John Healey: The Inland Revenue aim to decide 55 per cent. of all tax credit claims and change of circumstances in five working days and 95 per cent. in 30 working days. These targets were published in the Inland Revenue Spring Departmental Report May 2004.
	The Department is currently on track to achieve these targets.

Tax Credits

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applications for tax credits have been awaiting a decision on the outcome of their claim for (a) one month, (b) two months, (c) three months, (d) four months, (e) five months and (f) six months or more.

John Healey: Payments are made automatically on the first scheduled payment date after a claim is decided.

Tobacco Duty

John Baron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the total amount of duty on tobacco products evaded and avoided since 2000, broken down by (a) revenue lost through cross-border shopping and (b) revenue lost through smuggling and fraud.

John Healey: Estimates of tobacco revenue lost through legitimate cross-border shopping and through smuggling and fraud, for the last three financial years, are contained in HM Customs and Excise's paper Measuring and Tackling Tax Losses published alongside the pre Budget report in December 2003, a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library.

Voluntary Sector

Helen Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether all publicly regulated funding schemes are required to apply the Spending Review 2002 principle of fully supporting the relevant overhead costs of the voluntary sector.

Paul Boateng: All departments are expected to incorporate the principle of including the relevant overhead costs into the price for contracts with the voluntary sector. The Home Office are working with departments to ensure that they incorporate this recommendation into their procurement policies and the National Audit Office expects to publish an examination of departmental progress in implementing the recommendations in the spring of 2005.

PRIME MINISTER

Cabinet Meetings

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to Lord Butler's evidence to the Select Committee on Public Administration on 21 October 2004, what assessment he has made of Lord Butler's statement on the number of Cabinet meetings which take place in the absence of tabled papers.

Tony Blair: The Cabinet receives substantive oral presentations at most of its meetings. In addition, it considers papers as necessary. Cabinet Committees transact a very large amount of business on the basis of tabled papers.

Departmental Events (Funding)

Charles Hendry: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the (a) conferences, (b) publications, (c) initiatives, (d) projects and (e) receptions organised by his Department which have received funding from outside commercial bodies since May 1997, broken down by (i) funding body and (ii) amount paid.

Tony Blair: For accounting purposes my office forms part of the Cabinet Office. The information requested cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate costs.

European Constitution

John Hayes: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions the Government have had with other EU Governments about the timing of referendums on the European Constitution; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: The timing of referenda on the EU Constitution was discussed by Ministers at the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 12 July 2004. EU Governments confirmed then that ratification of the treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe including the timing of any referenda is entirely a matter for each individual member state.

India/Pakistan

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Prime Minister what recent negotiations he has had with representatives of the (a) Indian and (b) Pakistani Governments concerning (i) the future of Kashmir and (ii) nuclear weapons proliferation.

Tony Blair: Whenever suitable opportunities have arisen, I have discussed the composite dialogue between those Governments, and the issue of nuclear weapons proliferation. In respect of India, I refer the hon. Member to the press conference I held with the Indian Prime Minister on 20 September 2004, and to the joint India-United Kingdom declaration, both of which are available on the No. 10 website.

Libya

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Prime Minister what recent information he has received from the Libyan Government that can assist in tackling terrorism.

Tony Blair: The threat of terrorism is under constant review. The Government take the appropriate action on any information received.

Youth Parliament

Andrew Selous: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his oral answer to the honourable Member for South West Bedfordshire of 20 October, Official Report, column 888, if he will meet a group of members of the Youth Parliament to discuss the youth service.

Tony Blair: I met the UK Youth Parliament on 29 January 2003 and a number of issues were discussed. I welcome the contribution made by the UK Youth Parliament to the democratic process. I am happy to consider any requests from the UK Youth Parliament for further meetings.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Antisocial Behaviour

Kenneth Clarke: To ask the Solicitor-General whether the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has established the national team of CPS anti-social behaviour prosecutors as described in the Home Office Action Plan, "Together Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour", published in 2003; how many specialist prosecutors are working full-time in the national team; how many are working in the county of Nottinghamshire; and how many prosecutions have so far been brought by the national team (a) in England and (b) in Nottinghamshire.

Harriet Harman: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has established a team of 13 anti-social behaviour expert prosecutors as described in the Home Office Action Plan. None of these is currently working in Nottinghamshire.
	Available figures indicate that 457 post conviction orders have been made nationally as a result of CPS applications. No figures are available for Nottinghamshire.

Appeals Process

Graham Allen: To ask the Solicitor-General if the Law Officers will take steps to re-assess the appeals process, following the court of appeal decision relating to those convicted of the assault on Mr. Derek Senior; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: There is no plan to take any steps to re-assess the appeals process.

Charging Initiative

Graham Allen: To ask the Solicitor-General if she will conduct a pilot project to locate Crown Prosecution Service prosecutors in police stations to provide a 24-hour on-site charging capability.

Harriet Harman: Crown prosecutors are already located in police stations in the 13 areas where most recorded crime takes place, along with Cleveland. They are available between 9am and 5pm. Out of hours cover for all areas with a statutory charging scheme is provided by CPS Direct, a centralised telephone advice service staffed by experienced prosecutors, operating from 5pm to 9am Monday to Friday, and 24 hours at weekends and bank holidays.
	While there are no current plans to provide 24 hour presence in police stations, the CPS and ACPO are working together to consider the introduction of more face-to-face-charging advice locally at weekends and during the evenings.

Nigerian LNG Plant/Serious Fraud Office

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Solicitor-General 
	(1)  whether the Serious Fraud Office is assisting (a) the French authorities and (b) the Nigerian authorities with their investigation into allegations of bribery relating to a Nigerian LNG plant;
	(2)  on what date the Serious Fraud Office began providing assistance to the US authorities with their investigation into allegations of bribery relating to a Nigerian LNG plant.

Harriet Harman: For operational reasons the SFO cannot confirm or deny whether a specific matter has been referred to it, or is under investigation. However due to exceptional approval obtained from the US authorities, the SFO can confirm that a request for mutual legal assistance from the USA in relation to the Bonny Island LNG plant, was acceded to on 28 October 2004.

Nigerian LNG Plant/Serious Fraud Office

Mike Hancock: To ask the Solicitor-General how many overseas jurisdictions the Serious Fraud Office is assisting with overseas corruption cases; and if she will list the jurisdictions.

Harriet Harman: The Mutual Legal Assistance Unit of the Serious Fraud Office is currently assisting in eight overseas cases concerning offences involving bribery and corruption as specified by the referring jurisdiction.
	As these investigations are ongoing, the SFO cannot disclose details of these investigations or the individual referring jurisdictions.

Nigerian LNG Plant/Serious Fraud Office

Mike Hancock: To ask the Solicitor-General how many cases of overseas corruption the Serious Fraud Office is (a) investigating and (b) vetting; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: The Serious Fraud Office is currently conducting two investigations where allegations of overseas corruption constitute an element of the case.
	A further 11 referrals where allegations of overseas corruption may constitute an element of the referral are currently subject to the SFO's vetting process. It is not known at present which, or if any, of these cases will be accepted for investigation by the SFO.
	The SFO is committed to investigating such allegations where the acceptance criteria of the SFO are met. In such cases the SFO will prosecute the offence or offences that are best supported evidentially, and best represent the conduct of the suspects.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Parliamentary Questions

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Leader of the House if he will bring forward proposals for parliamentary questions which have not been answered by the end of a parliamentary session to be carried over to the next session; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: No. I refer my hon. Friend to the written ministerial statement I made on 21 July 2004, Official Report, column 35WS, on "I will write replies".

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Advertising Standards

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when her Department expects to receive from the Broadcast Committee on Advertising Practices a draft of the interpretative guidance for the Advertising Standards Authority's final amendment to the Advertising Standards Code; and if she will make a statement.

Estelle Morris: The Department expects to receive the draft guidance at the time of the public consultation which is due to begin in early 2005. Ofcom published their revised rules on alcohol advertising on 1 November. These were their final amendments to the Advertising Standards Code before responsibility passed to the Broadcasting Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) of the Advertising Standards Authority under the new co-regulatory arrangements. The new rules take effect from 1 January 2005 with temporary exemptions for campaigns already made. Full implementation for all broadcast advertising will be from 1 October 2005. BCAP plan to begin a public consultation on draft guidance notes for interpreting and implementing the new rules in early 2005 and will submit the guidance to Ofcom for final approval before publication.

Crossrail

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will reply to e-mail correspondence from the Romford Crossrail Action Group regarding the impact of the proposed Crossrail depot on local playing fields.

Richard Caborn: There is no record of this e-mail correspondence having been received by the Department. A copy of the letter has been requested and a response will be sent in due course.
	The address for e-mail correspondence to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport is: tessa.jowell@culture.gsi.gov.uk

Governing Bodies (Sport)

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to assist the modernisation of national governing bodies for sports; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: Since 2001 UK Sport has administered a modernisation programme designed to help national governing bodies (NGBs) of sport to become more efficient and effective. Further to this, Game Plan, the joint DCMS-Strategy Unit report published in December 2002, recommended the implementation of a new approach to NGB funding and planning to further promote independent, modernised NGBs. As a result, from April 2005 modernisation will be mainstreamed into the One Stop Plans agreed between UK Sport and the NGBs of UK-wide priority sports. From April 2005, Sport England will operate Whole Sport Plans with the NGBs of England-wide priority sports. Whole Sport Plans will provide a blueprint for the sport from grass roots right through to the elite level.

Horse Racing

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on her policy on funding of horse racing.

Richard Caborn: Parliament has just enacted the Horserace Betting and Olympic Lottery Act on the expectation that horseracing should be able to finance itself without the need for a statutory levy.

Libraries

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how many libraries she will visit in her official capacity in each of the next 12 months;
	(2)  how many libraries she has visited in her official capacity since 2001.

Tessa Jowell: In the last 12 months, in my official capacity, I have visited the Ideastore in Bow, the central library in Bournemouth, the Swiss Cottage library and the British Library. I have also visited the Carnegie library and Norwood library in my constituency.
	My diary is currently being planned for next year.
	Information for 2001–03 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Licensing Act

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the likely impact on community and amateur sports clubs of the licensing charges announced on 4 November; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: The fee levels to be set by the Secretary of State under the terms of the Licensing Act 2003 have not been finalised. On 4 November, we announced the publication of a consultation on fee levels. We welcome the views of sports clubs as part of that public consultation, which ends on 23 December. All responses will be carefully considered before the fees are finalised. The proposal is that fees for grant of a club premises certificate will range between £80 and £500 and annual charges between £40 and £225. These fee levels have been proposed to ensure that licensing authorities are able to recover fully their costs of administration, inspection and enforcement under the terms of the Act and no more. In proposing fee levels and the allocation of premises to a band based on its non-domestic rateable value we have considered the impact of the approach on clubs, including community and amateur sports clubs. We do not therefore consider that the impact on such clubs would be significant. The Licensing Review that preceded the White Paper on licensing reform showed that alcohol licensing fees have been set too low for many years, and it would be wholly wrong for central or local taxation to continue to subsidise the consumption of alcohol. Consequently, we do not believe that the best way to promote sport is through Government subsidy of sports club bars. The Government's commitment to amateur sport is illustrated by the introduction in 2002 of a scheme which gives registered Community Amateur Sports Clubs mandatory rate relief at 80 per cent. and tax relief through Gift Aid on donations from individuals. So far the scheme has given amateur sports clubs an extra £5 million.
	This is in addition to the £60 million we have put into the Community Club Development Programme.

Licensing Act

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  whether a regulatory impact assessment was carried out on the voluntary sports clubs sector in respect of increased charges arising from the Licensing Act 2003;
	(2)  whether a regulatory impact assessment was carried out on the voluntary sports clubs sector in respect of the increased charges from the Licensing Act 2003.

Richard Caborn: Yes. Our estimates of fee levels were first publicised in the White Paper "Time for Reform: Proposals for the Modernisation of Our Licensing Laws" (CM 4696) on 10 April 2000, which included a regulatory impact assessment. A regulatory impact assessment, which also included estimates relating to fee levels, was also presented to Parliament with the Licensing Bill in November 2002, and was revised when the Bill entered the House of Commons in March 2003. In September 2004 a draft regulatory impact assessment was published with a consultation document on regulations to be made under the Licensing Act 2003. All of these documents are available in the Library of the House. For the purpose of the regulatory impact assessments, sports clubs are treated as members' clubs holding registration certificates under the Licensing Act 1964 and which expect to hold club premises certificates under the 2003 Act. Such clubs include as well as sports clubs, political clubs, working men's clubs, ex-services clubs, social clubs and others. There are approximately 20,000 such clubs. A further regulatory impact assessment will be presented with regulations relating to fee levels when they are made following the public consultation which began on 4 November. The consultation document enables any individual club to calculate precisely the fees it could expect to pay, under the proposals in the document, in respect of applications made for the grant and variation of a club premises certificate under the 2003 Act.

Minimum Pricing Scheme

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what advice she has received from the Office of Fair Trading regarding advice for local authorities on minimum pricing schemes in licensed premises; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: Advice was taken from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) in the preparation of the guidance issued under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003 to licensing authorities, which was published in July 2003. Their advice was reflected in paragraph 7.79 of the guidance (available at www.culture.gov.uk <http://www.culture.gov.uk>) and includes "The promotion of price fixing or the creation of cartels is unlawful, and there would also be serious risks of breaching competition law." We understand that the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit and the Home Office have also consulted the OFT about this issue in connection with the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy.

Mr. John Peel

Candy Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will hold discussions with national lottery distributors on the purchase of the late Mr. John Peel's music collection.

Estelle Morris: Lottery distributors work independently of Government and so we do not ask them to fund individual projects or ideas. However, it is open to anyone or any organisation to discuss ideas like this with the Heritage Lottery Fund or the Arts Council England.

Olympic Athletes

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to her answer of 4 November 2004, Official Report, column 379W, on Olympic athletes, what the names were of the competitors from Northern Ireland who competed for the Republic of Ireland at the (a) Sydney 2000 and (b) Athens 2004 Olympics; in which sports they competed; and how much Lottery funding each received.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 11 November 2004
	The following table provides the names, sports and funding awarded, through the governing body, to those Northern Ireland athletes who competed for the Republic of Ireland at the last two summer Olympics.
	
		Sydney 2000 -- £
		
			 Name Sport Amount awarded 
		
		
			 David McCann Cycling 10,000 
			 T. Smith Equestrian (7)— 
			 Andrew Bree Swimming 5,200 
			 Emma Robinson Swimming 3,000 
		
	
	(7) No individual award was made to T. Smith, although an award of £81,709 was provided to the Equestrian Squad as part of their 4-year plan.
	
		Athens 2004 -- £
		
			 Name Sport Amount awarded 
		
		
			 Paul Brizzell Athletics 7,520 
			 Sasha Harrison Eventing 6,000 
			 Richard Archibald Rowing 3,050 
			 Fraser Brown Sailing 9,000 
			 Michael Williamson Swimming 2,717 
			 Emma Robinson Swimming 7,428 
			 Jessica Kurten(8) Show jumping 0 
		
	
	(8) Jessica Kurten received an award but did not draw any funding.

Olympic Games

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether training camps for the proposed London Olympics will be sited (a) in Scotland and (b) outside London.

Tessa Jowell: Decisions on the location of training camps will be taken by those National Olympic Committees choosing to hold them. As far as we are aware, no decisions have yet been taken about the location of training camps for a 2012 Olympics. We certainly hope, however, that venues across the UK will be chosen as training camps, should the London bid succeed. In promoting the bid, London 2012 are assembling information on the UK's facilities, and a UK Opportunities Conference on 17 January is designed to help all parts of the UK prepare to maximise the benefits a London games would bring them.

Olympic Games

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether she has made an assessment of the level of support for the proposed London Olympics in (a) each country and (b) each region of the UK.

Tessa Jowell: London 2012 undertake regular polls, using a nationally representative sample of 1,040 12 to 65-year-olds, to gauge the levels of support for the bid, which are broken down by region. These suggest that support for the bid is least strong in Scotland.

Paralympic Games

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what action the Government (a) has taken and (b) intends to take to influence the outcome of the International Paralympic Committee Extraordinary General Meeting to be held on 25 November, in Cairo, to prevent a permanent ban on the participation of learning disabled athletes in the Paralympic Games.

Richard Caborn: The exclusion of athletes with a learning disability from the Paralympic Games is entirely a matter for the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
	The IPC has charged the international community of learning disability sporting organisations to come up with a satisfactory system of classification.
	This Government are hopeful that a solution can be found that will secure a future for learning disability sport in the international sporting arena.

Paralympic Games

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions the Government had held with (a) the International Paralympic Committee and (b) the International Sports Federation for People with Intellectual Disability about the future eligibility of learning disabled athletes to participate in the Paralympic Games.

Richard Caborn: The future of learning disability sport within the Paralympics can only be decided by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). The international community of learning disability sporting organisations has to provide a satisfactory response to the request from the IPC for an international system of classification.
	I sincerely hope that the IPC discussions at the meeting in November prove satisfactory to the International Sports Federation for People with Intellectual Disability.
	DCMS officials are in regular contact with the English Federation for Disability Sport and I have every confidence in the EFDS (EPDS) continuing to do everything it can to improve sporting opportunities for people with learning disabilities.

Paralympic Games

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what action the Government has taken to seek to ensure that learning disabled athletes will be able to participate in future Paralympic Games.

Richard Caborn: This Government are committed to ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to participate in sport and physical activity and we fully support all efforts to involve people with disabilities.
	The Government is also aware of the complex issues of classification within disability sport and the need for the international community of learning disability sporting organisations to provide the International Paralympic Committee with a satisfactory international classification system.

Paralympic Games

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on reports she has received on progress in negotiations between the International Paralympic Committee and the International Sports Federation for People with Intellectual Disability on the future participation of learning-disabled athletes in the Paralympic Games.

Richard Caborn: The future participation of people with learning disabilities within the Paralympics is strictly a matter for the International Paralympic Committee and the international community of learning disability sporting organisations.
	This Government are hopeful that a system of classification will be found that will see athletes with a learning disability return to compete in the international sporting arena.

Paralympic Games

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether it is her policy to ensure that learning disabled athletes would be eligible to take part in Paralympic Games if they were to be held in London in 2012.

Richard Caborn: The participation of athletes with a learning disability at the Paralympics can only be decided by the International Paralympic Committee and not by the Government of the host nation of the Games.

Sports Clubs (Licensing Fees)

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment has been made of the effect of the new fees for licensing on sports clubs.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 11 November 2004
	The fee levels to be set by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State under the terms of the Licensing Act 2003 have not been finalised. On 4 November, we announced the publication of a consultation on fee levels. We welcome the views of sports clubs as part of that public consultation, which ends on 23 December. All responses will be carefully considered before the fees are finalised. The proposal is that fees for grant of a club premises certificate will range between £80 and £500 and annual charges between £40 and £225. These fee levels have been proposed to ensure that licensing authorities are able to recover fully their costs of administration, inspection and enforcement under the terms of the Act and no more. In proposing fee levels and the allocation of premises to a band based on its non-domestic rateable value we have considered the impact of the approach on clubs, including sports clubs. We do not therefore consider that the impact on such clubs would be significant.
	The Government's commitment to amateur sport is further illustrated by the introduction in 2002 of a scheme which gives registered Community Amateur Sports Clubs mandatory rate relief at 80 per cent. and tax relief through Gift Aid on donations from individuals. So far the scheme has given amateur sports clubs an extra £5 million. This is in addition to the £60 million we have put into the Community Club Development Programme.

Sports Participation

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the number of people in England who participated in sport in each of the past 10 years.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 11 November 2004
	Year-on-year figures for the number of people who participated in sport in England in the past 10 years are not available.
	Figures taken from the General Household Survey (CHS) for 2002 show that 43 per cent. of adults participated in at least one activity, excluding walking in the four weeks before interview compared to 46 per cent. in 1996. The figure, including walking, was 58 per cent. in 2002 and 64 per cent. in 1996. The apparent drop in participation may, in part, have resulted from a change in the wording of the question in relation to walking between the 1996 and 2002 surveys. Although in both surveys walks of two miles or more were asked about, the 2002 survey only asked for 'recreational walks.'
	Figures taken from Sport England's Young People and Sport in England Survey (2002) shows that 86 per cent. of young people between the ages of 6 and 16 participated in at least one sport at least 10 times outside of school lessons in a year, compared with 87 per cent. in 1994.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Directors of Children's Services

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the responsibilities are of Directors of Children's services.

Margaret Hodge: Directors of Children's Services will be crucial to creating the clear line of accountability for services for children called for by Lord Laming, and will lead transformational change in the delivery of these services at the local level. The Director's responsibilities are set out in clause 18 of the Children Bill. These are: the local authority's education and social services functions for children, functions in relation to young persons leaving care, any functions relating to children delegated to the local authority by an NHS body under section 31 of the Health Act 1999, and some new functions conferred on authorities under the Bill, for example preparing a Children and Young People's Plan, and making arrangements to promote co-operation among local agencies to improve children's well-being. Formal consultation on statutory guidance on the role and responsibilities of the Director will begin shortly.

Admission Procedures

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his policy is on the use of pre-11-plus tests by the parents' associations of wholly selective state secondary schools; how many such parents' associations have held such tests following the introduction of co-ordinated admissions procedures for secondary schools; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: It is for individual parents to decide what assessments they wish to make of their child's ability in order to inform later decisions on school choice and suitability for entry into the 11-plus. We do not have data on the number of parents' associations initiating such tests. However, pre-11-plus tests are not a requirement of coordinated admission schemes.

CAFCASS

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether (a) business managers, (b) regional managers and (c) frontline staff in the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service were awarded extra payments for duties during 2003–04.

Margaret Hodge: Regional managers, business managers and frontline staff were given additional payments during 2003–04.
	These additional payments are termed 'Additional Responsibility Payments'.
	Payments were made for two main reasons:
	1. To individuals who transferred to CAFCASS with honoraria; and
	2. To staff who undertook additional responsibilities: temporary promotion or providing cover for short/long term vacant posts.
	Additional responsibility payments continue to be paid to staff who have taken on higher grade or additional responsibilities.
	A total number of 35 CAFCASS staff members were awarded Additional Responsibility Payments during the period 1April 2003 to 31March 2004. The total sum paid by CAFCASS is £27,480.
	CAFCASS is currently integrating terms and conditions for all staff transferred from the 117 predecessor organisations. During 2003–04, CAFCASS completed the harmonisation of frontline, administrative and first tier management staff.
	All other posts, including Business Managers and Regional Managers who were employed on a fixed salary (not related to a pay scale) in 2001 were made an extra payment, pending the outcome of harmonisation.

CAFCASS

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of separation and divorce cases involving children aged under 16 years were resolved without a court hearing during (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03.

Margaret Hodge: Statistics are not available to show the percentage of separation and divorce cases involving children aged under 16 years that were resolved without a court hearing during (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03.
	The Office for National Statistics publication, Population Trends, shows that the numbers of divorcing couples with children under 16 were 79,277 in 2001; 80,997 in 2002 and 83,809 in 2003. However, there is no corresponding data for cohabiting couples who separate, nor is there any information about the ending of relationships of unmarried parents who are not cohabiting.

CAFCASS

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the level of staff sickness in the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service during 2003–04.

Margaret Hodge: I understand from the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service that the level of staff sickness absence for 2003–04 is estimated to be 3.6 per cent. CAFCASS is undertaking a review of the sickness levels to establish a more accurate figure for 2004–05.

CAFCASS

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) public and (b) private cases had been unallocated in each of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service regions as at 31 August.

Margaret Hodge: CAFCASS' foremost priority is to reduce further the number of unallocated cases, and the service is currently developing a strategy across England and Wales to do so. The information requested for the Regions and Wales is as follows:
	Public Law unallocated at 31 August 2004:
	East Midlands—2
	Eastern—6
	Greater London—117
	North East—31
	North West—92
	South East—17
	South West—14
	West Midlands—34
	Yorkshire and Humberside—54
	Wales—1
	Total: 368 (3.2 per cent. of total workload)
	The number of public law live (allocated and on-going) cases at the end of August 2004 was 11,136.
	Private Law unallocated less than 10 weeks before filing date at 31 August 2004:
	East Midlands—0
	Eastern—0
	Greater London—82
	North East—27
	North West—24
	South East—37
	South West—98
	West Midlands—55
	Yorkshire and Humberside—45
	Wales—1
	Total: 369 (4.2 per cent. of total workload)
	The number of private law live (allocated and on-going) cases at the end of August 2004 was 6,952.

CAFCASS

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the period of delay was in allocating public law cases in the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service in each of the last three financial years.

Margaret Hodge: CAFCASS does not collect information in the form requested. CAFCASS was set six key objectives when it was established in 2001. Key performance indicators (KPIs) were subsequently devised to measure CAFCASS' performance against these objectives.
	For 2002–03 and 2003–04, the public law allocations KPI was as follows:
	In public law no less that 80 per cent. of cases should be allocated within seven days.
	In 2002–2003, 69 per cent. of cases were allocated within seven days, and in 2003–04, 65.5 per cent. of cases were allocated within seven days.
	For 2004–05, the CAFCASS objectives and KPIs were revised, as follows:
	By March 2005, 70 per cent. of allocations during the month for section 31 (care and supervision) cases should be within two days from receipt of request.
	For the first six months of 2004–05, the average achievement was 52.7 per cent.
	At least 98 per cent. of all public law allocations each month for all case types should be within 28 days from receipt of request.
	For the first six months of 2004–05, the average achievement was 92.3 per cent.
	No more than 3 per cent. of the public law workload should remain unallocated at month end.
	For the first six months of 2004–05, the average achievement was 2.3 per cent.
	CAFCASS has made progress in reducing the backlog of public law cases. In July 2003 there were 718 unallocated cases (5.7 per cent. of the workload); in September 2004 there were 281 unallocated cases (2.3 per cent. of the workload). A new board was appointed in April 2004 and a new chief executive was appointed on 1 September. CAFCASS has been given an additional £12 million this year and we expect to see improvements in performance.

CAFCASS

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service is making in preparing guidelines on contact; and when they will be published.

Margaret Hodge: A draft version of CAFCASS' guidelines, entitled "Contact Principles, Practice Guidelines and Procedure", was issued on 16 August 2004 for public consultation. This consultation period ends on 22 November 2004. CAFCASS will then consider the responses to the draft document and it expects to publish a final version in the first half of 2005.

CAFCASS

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many weeks it was taking to complete private law cases in each CAFCASS region on 31 July (a) 2001, (b) 2002, (c) 2003 and (d) 2004.

Margaret Hodge: Prior to 2004/05 CAFCASS did not collect data about the time taken to complete particular cases. However, there is now an expectation that private law reports are completed within 10–12 weeks of the request date to CAFCASS. In general CAFCASS teams that are unable to meet this requirement make arrangements with their courts to extend the timetable for preparing reports in specific cases.
	At regional level and for Wales the times taken to complete reports, for the period 1 April to 31 June 2004, were as follows:
	East Midlands—four teams met the 10–12 week standard and one team met the extended 13–14 weeks timetable;
	Eastern—three teams met the 10–12 week standard and two teams met the extended 15–16 weeks timetable;
	Greater London—four teams met the 10–12 week standard, one team met the extended 13–14 weeks timetable, one team met the extended 15–16 weeks timetable, one team met the extended over 17 weeks timetable;
	North East—one team met the 10–12 week standard, two teams met the extended 13–14 weeks timetable and one team met the extended over 17 weeks timetable;
	North West—two teams met the 10–12 week standard, four teams met the extended 13–14 weeks timetable, four teams met the extended 15–16 weeks timetable and one team met the extended over 17 weeks timetable;
	South East—five teams met the 10–12 week standard, one team met the extended 13–14 weeks timetable and six teams met the extended 15–16 weeks timetable;
	South West—two teams met the 10–12 week standard, three teams met the extended 13–14 weeks timetable, one team met the extended 15–16 weeks timetable, two teams met the agreed extended over 17 weeks timetable;
	West Midlands—three teams met the 10–12 week standard, two teams met the extended 13–14 weeks timetable and three teams met the extended 15–16 weeks timetable;
	Yorkshire and Humberside—10 teams met the 10–12 week standard and two teams met the extended 13–14 weeks timetable;
	Wales—nine teams met the 10–12 week standard.
	On a case-by-case basis timescales may be extended by the courts where the needs of the case require it. This approach would apply across all regions and is not related to resource issues.
	CAFCASS has been given an additional £12 million this year to improve performance. A new Board was appointed in April 2004 and a new Chief Executive was appointed on 1 September. They are committed to driving forward improvements in the Service.

CAFCASS

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total costs for the running of CAFCASS were in each financial year for which figures are available since 2000.

Margaret Hodge: The total costs for the running of CAFCASS in each financial year for which figures are available since 2000 are as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2001–02 81 
			 2002–03 89 
			 2003–04 99 
		
	
	We have increased CAFCASS's budget to £107 million for the financial year 2004–05.

Child Care

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many child care places there have been in the Dagenham constituency in each year since 1997.

Margaret Hodge: The information is not available in the form requested.
	Figures for 2003 and 2004 are shown in Table 1.
	
		Table 1 Number of registered child care places1,2 by type of providerBarking and Dagenham local authority 2003 and 2004Position at 31 March each year
		
			  2003 2004 
		
		
			 Full day care 700 700 
			 Sessional day care 700 700 
			 Childminders 800 900 
			 Out of school day care 500 600 
			 Crèche day care 200 200 
		
	
	(9) The figures have been rounded to the nearest 100 places.
	(10) Data Source: Ofsted
	Figures for 1997–2001 are shown in Table 2.
	
		Table 2 Number of day care places(11) , (12) by type of providerBarking and Dagenham local authority 1997–2001Position at 31 March each year
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Day nurseries 360 (13)— 430 440 450 
			 Playgroups and pre-schools 860 750 740 700 1,100 
			 Childminders 650 630 720 660 680 
			 Out of school clubs 170 210 260 260 340 
			 Holiday schemes(14) 1,210 1,510 3,600 (15)4,500 5,300 
		
	
	(11) The figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 places.
	(12) Data Source: Children's Day Care Facilities Survey.
	(13) Not available
	(14) From 1999, places were counted once for each school holiday. Before 1999, places were counted once each year.
	(15) Includes schemes that were exempt from registration.
	The figures for 2003 and 2004 are not directly comparable with the figures for 1997–2001 because the figures for 2003 and 2004 were derived from the Ofsted database of registered child care providers and the figures for 1997–2001 were derived from the Children's Day Care Facilities Survey, which was discontinued in 2001. There are no figures for 2002.
	With the introduction of the National Day Care Standards and the transfer of responsibilities for registration and inspection of child care providers from local authority social service departments to Ofsted in September 2001, child care places were classified according the type of day care provided: full day care, sessional day care, childminder, out of school day care or crèche day care. Ofsted have produced figures based on this classification on a quarterly basis from March 2003. Their latest figures were published on 21 October 2004 in their report "Registered Childcare Providers and Places, 30 September 2004", which is available on their website, www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications.
	Up until March 2001, child care providers were classified according to the type of provider: day nurseries, playgroups and pre-schools, childminders, out of school clubs and holiday schemes. Figures based on this classification were published in a series of statistical bulletins, which are available from the Department's website, www.dfes.gov.uk/statistics.

Child Care

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many child care places there have been in Pendle in each year since 1997.

Margaret Hodge: The information is not available in the form requested.
	Figures for 2003 and 2004 for Lancashire local authority are shown in Table 1.
	
		Table 1 Number of registered child care places1,2 by type of providerLancashire local authority 2003 and 2004Position at 31 March each year
		
			  2003 2004 
		
		
			 Full day care 10,800 13,200 
			 Sessional day care 4,900 4,900 
			 Childminders 5,600 5,900 
			 Out of school day care 6,100 7,400 
			 Crèche day care 300 200 
		
	
	(16) The figures have been rounded to the nearest 100.
	(17) Data Source: Ofsted
	Figures for 1997–2001 are shown in Table 2.
	
		Table 2 Number of day care places available(18) , (19) by type of providerLancashire local authority 1997–2001Position at 31 March each year
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Day nurseries 9,900 (20)— 8,800 9,600 10,900 
			 Playgroups and pre-schools 8,200 (20)— 6,600 6,600 6,500 
			 Childminders 8,800 (20)— 6,000 5,800 5,900 
			 Out of school clubs 1,100 (20)— 1,600 1,900 2,200 
			 Holiday schemes(21) 1,500 (20)— 900 (22)670 640 
		
	
	(18) The figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 and 100 where appropriate.
	(19) Data Source: Children's Day Care Facilities Survey.
	(20) Not available
	(21) From 1999, places were counted once for each school holiday. Before 1999, places were counted once each year.
	(22) Includes schemes that were exempt from registration.
	The figures for 2003 and 2004 are not directly comparable with the figures for 1997–2001 because the figures for 2003 and 2004 were derived from the Ofsted database of registered child care providers and the figures for 1997–2001 were derived from the Children's Day Care Facilities Survey, which was discontinued in 2001. There are no figures for 2002.
	With the introduction of the National Day Care Standards and the transfer of responsibilities for registration and inspection of child care providers from local authority social service departments to Ofsted in September 2001, child care places were classified according the type of day care provided: full day care, sessional day care, childminder, out of school day care or crèche day care. Ofsted have produced figures based on this classification on a quarterly basis from March 2003. Their latest figures were published on 21 October 2004 in their report "Registered Childcare Providers and Places, 30 September 2004", which is available on their website, www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications.
	Up until March 2001, child care providers were classified according to the type of provider: day nurseries, playgroups and pre-schools, childminders, out of school clubs and holiday schemes. Figures based on this classification were published in a series of statistical bulletins, which are available from the Department's website, www.dfes.gov.uk/statistics.

Consultants

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much expenditure his Department has incurred in each year since 2002 on employing external consultants to deal with the press and public relations of his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Clarke: The spend on Public Relations activity the Department since 2002 is as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2002–03 1,944,457 
			 2003–04 2,699,280 
			 2004–05 year to date (as at 4 Nov) 760,946 
		
	
	The Department has not incurred expenditure on press relations consultants in this period.

Departmental Publications (Access)

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what proportion of publications issued by his Department are available in (a) Braille, (b) autoprint, (c) large print and (d) easy read format.

Stephen Twigg: The Department follows the advice given by Her Majesty's Stationery Office in their Guidance Note number 16 "Official Publications and Extending Availability for Disabled People".
	The Department will respond to any request for access to publications in alternative formats and will in principle make all publications available in the formats mentioned. It is not possible, without disproportionate cost, to give the details requested of numbers and proportions of the numbers produced of each format for each publication.
	The Department does not have a standard formula for the numbers or proportion of alternative formats to produce for its publications. A large number of publications are produced, to a wide range of target audiences, and requirements are considered on an individual basis according to the subject topic, target audience and potential demand.

Departmental Salaries

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people in his Department earn more than a whole-time equivalent salary of £57,485 per year.

Charles Clarke: I would refer the right hon. Member to the reply given by Cabinet Office on Thursday 11 November 2004, Official Report, column 856W.

Free School Meals

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the take-up rate of free school meals.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		Maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools(23): school meal arrangements2,3 -- January 2004 England
		
			  Maintained nursery and primary Maintained secondary 
		
		
			 Number on roll 4,293,180 3,326,800 
			 Number of pupils taking free school meals 608,760 351,380 
			 Percentage taking free school meals 14.2 10.6 
			 Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 741,150 477,290 
			 Percentage known to be eligible for free school meals 17.3 14.3 
		
	
	(23) Includes middle schools as deemed.
	(24) Includes dually registered pupils and boarding pupils.
	(25) Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census

Free School Transport

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the School Transport Bill will allow local authorities to introduce free or concessionary fares for pupils over 16 years old remaining in full-time education.

Stephen Twigg: All pilot schemes must aim to cut car use on the home to school journey. Beyond that, they should be designed to meet local priorities. This might, for example, include a trial which creates closer links with post-16 transport policies leading to more consistent provision for older pupils.

Free School Transport

Keith Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in the City of Manchester receive free transport to school provided by Manchester city council.

Stephen Twigg: We do not routinely collect that information. However a joint survey of school transport policies, expenditure and pupil numbers transported, conducted in 2003 by DfES and the Confederation of Education Service Managers (ConfEd), reported the following for Manchester local education authority.
	
		Number of pupils receiving free or assisted home-to-school transport by category—Manchester local education authority
		
			 Type of school setting Compulsory school age "Sixth formers" All pupils 
		
		
			 Primary 84 — 84 
			 Secondary 1,248 — 1,248 
			 Special 1,395 — 1,395 
			 Other — — — 
			 Totals 2,727 — 2,727 
		
	
	Source:
	DfES/ConfEd "Home to School Transport Survey" 2003

Graffiti

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment his Department has made of the role to be played by schools in tackling graffiti; and if he will list examples of best practice in this area.

Stephen Twigg: Teaching honesty, respect for the individual and social responsibility is part of school life and in every curriculum particularly in the citizenship education curriculum. Allowing pupils to help manage a part of the budget earmarked for combating vandalism can encourage a sense of responsibility and produce a reduction in criminal damage. This may be done through a school council or youth action group. Various agencies can help. For example, most police forces have a school liaison officer. The success of this approach depends on it being sustained over the full age range. Intermittent, one-off projects, however attractive or successful they appear, will have little effect over the longer term. DfES has not carried out an assessment of the role schools can play in tackling graffiti but has produced guidance on graffiti in Managing School Facilities Guide 4 "Improving Security in Schools", and in Design Note 48 "Removal and Control of Graffiti", see www.teachernet.gov.uk/schoolbuildings. We do not know of examples of best practice in this area.

Integrated Children's Register/System

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many hours' training each social care practitioner will receive before they can use the Integrated Children's Register.

Margaret Hodge: The Department for Education and Skills has developed a training pack for Councils to use when training staff on the Integrated Children's System. Each Council will need to do an audit of their staff's training needs and decide on the nature and duration of their training before providing it.

Integrated Children's Register/System

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what training will be made available to (a) social workers and (b) others expected to use the Integrated Children's Register.

Margaret Hodge: The Integrated Children's System training pack is available on the Integrated Children's System website, which can be found at www.dfes.gov.uk/inteqratedchildrenssvstem
	However, it is for local authorities and partner agencies do an audit of their staffs training needs and decide on the nature and duration of their training before providing it.

Integrated Children's Register/System

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much money each local authority will be given to run the Integrated Children's System in the first year of operation.

Margaret Hodge: The LASSL(2003)7 Children's Social Services Funding 2004/05 set out the main aspects of the 2004/05 local government finance settlement which is relevant to the funding provided for children's social services. It announced a capital grant of £10 million to support the development of information technology systems for children's social services. The £10 million is the first tranche of a total grant of £30 million payable in 2004/5 and 2005/6.
	LAC(2004)22 provided more detailed guidance. It required the grant to be spent on building the information technology systems required to support the implementation of the Integrated Children's System (ICS). This grant is therefore primarily concerned with enabling staff to record and manage electronically case record information about children being served in the context of the Children Act 1989.
	The grant is allocated in a way that reflects the size of local children's social services operation. The FSS formula is used for this purpose. This grant is in addition to the Capital Grant for Improving Information Management supporting Information for Social Care described in Local Authority Circular LAC(2003)17. £25 million was paid in 2003/04 to local authorities with social services responsibilities for the purposes of the developmental, improvement or acquisition of systems for improving information management.
	In total, we provided an extra £90 million this year to support councils in improving their services to safeguard children including responding to the recommendations made in Lord Laming's report and the Joint Chief Inspectors' report "Safeguarding Children". No conditions have been attached to this money to enable councils the freedom to choose how to target the extra resources so that they can maximise the outcome for children's services in their area.
	It is for local authorities to decide how best to provide support and services for all children in need in its area. There is no current specific earmarked funding for services, instead, Government funding is allocated to councils with social services responsibilities on the basis of the needs of their populations. A weighted capitation formula is used to determine each body's target fair share of available resources. It is, therefore, for councils, working in partnership with relevant local stakeholders, to determine their spending priorities on the basis of local needs.

Integrated Children's Register/System

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills in which year planning for the Integrated Children's System began.

Margaret Hodge: Planning began in 2000. The development of the Integrated Children's System was first signalled in 'Learning the Lessons' (Department of Health, 2000) the Government's response to the Waterhouse report, 'Lost in Care'.

Integrated Children's Register/System

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills who has been involved in the planning of the Integrated Children's System.

Margaret Hodge: The Department of Health and the Welsh Assembly Government developed the system. The Department for Education and Skills is now responsible for the project together with the Welsh Assembly Government. There was extensive public consultation on the Integrated Children's System during the winter of 2002/03, and further discussion at regional seminars held early in 2004. Feedback from children and families is also informing the development of the system. A full list of participants in the planning and development of the Integrated Children's System can be found in the consultation document, "Integrated Children's System -Working with Children in Need and Their Families" published in December 2002. The list of participants includes relevant Other Government Departments, the Association of Directors of Social Services, the Local Government Association, the relevant royal colleges, academics, researchers, practitioners and managers.

Nursery Inspections

Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will introduce random unannounced inspections of nurseries.

Margaret Hodge: Following consultation, the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) has announced its plans to introduce unannounced inspections for group day care providers from April 2005. I have asked HM Chief Inspector for Schools, David Bell, to write to my hon. Friend with any further information he may wish to add, and place a copy of his letter in the Library.

Nursery Places

Claire Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the availability of nursery places for (a) three-year-olds and (b) four-year-olds in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2004.

Margaret Hodge: Prior to 1997 the availability of nursery education was largely dependent upon geographical location and figures were not available. We have since invested more than £11 billion as part of an unprecedented expansion of early years provision. All four-year-olds have been entitled to a free part-time early education place since 1998. From April 2004 this entitlement was extended to all three-year-olds. Currently 93 per cent. of three-year-olds and virtually all four-year-olds are benefiting from free provision in the private, voluntary, independent and maintained sectors in England compared with 44 per cent. of three-year-olds and 98 per cent. of four-year-olds in 2000, the earliest year for which figures for all sectors are available.

School Absenteeism

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the school absence rate was in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in (i) York, (ii) Yorkshire and Humber and (iii) England (A) in 1997 and (B) at the most recent date for which figures are available.

Stephen Twigg: The information requested is as follows:
	
		Percentage of half days missed due to total absence in primary schools
		
			  Academic year (September to May) 
			  1998 2004 
		
		
			 York 5.28 4.78 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 6.30 5.38 
			 England 6.21 5.49 
		
	
	
		Percentage of half days missed due to total absence in secondary schools
		
			  Academic year (September to May) 
			  1998 2004 
		
		
			 York 7.37 7.98 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 9.80 8.39 
			 England 9.01 8.07 
		
	
	Note:
	The PQ shows information for 1998 and 2004 as the 1997 figures are unavailable.

School Exclusions (Managed Moves)

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he has taken to monitor the (a) number and (b) effectiveness of managed moves of children between institutions.

Stephen Twigg: This information is not available centrally. The Department's exclusions guidance encourages the use of managed moves as a positive alternative to exclusion and evidence from regional exclusions workshops shows that they are most effective when support is provided to the pupil during their first few weeks at the new school.

School Exclusions (Managed Moves)

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many local education authorities in England have a policy of using managed moves as an alternative to permanent exclusion.

Stephen Twigg: This information is not held centrally. I do know, however, that many local education authorities have adopted this policy, and find it most successful for pupils when appropriate support, both financial and otherwise, is provided.

School Exclusions (Managed Moves)

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his policy is on managed moves for children threatened with permanent exclusion.

Stephen Twigg: We encourage the use of managed moves as a positive alternative to exclusion. However, we have made it clear in our guidance that parents should not be pressured into removing their child from school under the threat of permanent exclusion.

Schools (Fire Safety)

Jim Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he will issue guidance on fire safety in schools.

Stephen Twigg: Managing School Facilities Guide 6, "Fire Safety", is the Department's current guidance to schools on fire safety issues. This was published by the Stationery Office in 2000 and can be viewed on www.teachernet.gov.uk/fire.
	The Department is now in the process of producing new guidance for fire safety in schools. Building Bulletin 100, with the working title "Designing Against the Risk of Fire in Schools", will give guidance on the design of new schools as well as the refurbishment of existing schools to at least the current standards of the Building Regulations. The guide is comprehensive and stresses the value of using risk assessments as the basis for determining, for example, the types of fire alarm and detection systems needed in particular school buildings. It will be aimed at schools, local education authorities, design consultants, building control bodies and the fire and rescue service. We will shortly be going out to public consultation on it and expect to be able to publish the final, agreed guidance before the middle of next year.

Sixth Forms

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he plans to issue the guidance on the establishment of new school sixth forms proposed in the Five Year Plan; what account this guidance will take of the effect of the establishment of new school sixth forms on (a) further education colleges and (b) sixth form colleges in the area; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: We are currently consulting on the regulations and guidance for the Schools Organisation Committee that relate to this issue. Later this month we will issue to representative organisations non-statutory contextual guidance. This will set out how we envisage that partners, including the LSC, LEAs and providers will work together to ensure that the pattern of provision in their area provides real learner choice of learner programmes and learning setting.

Teaching Software

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to encourage the development of appropriate software to assist teachers in monitoring and evaluating pupils' progress; and what advice he has given to (a) schools and (b) local authorities on the use of such software.

David Miliband: My Department produces the Pupil Achievement Tracker software which schools can use to review their overall performance and that of individual pupils, identify their strengths and weaknesses and set targets for future progress. Commercial software suppliers are encouraged to develop similar features in their own products. The Department provides schools and LEAs with information about the Pupil Achievement Tracker and encourages them to use this and other software where it facilitates analysis of pupils' progress. General guidance, details of packages that provide assessment capability, together with some "good practice" case studies are also available on the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta) website.

University Funding

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 26 October, Official Report, column 1158W, on university funding, how much funding has been made available to universities from the Aimhigher programme in each year since its inception.

Kim Howells: The information for the years 2001–04 is provided in the table.
	
		
			 Financial year Amount £million 
		
		
			 2001–02 10 
			 2002–03 10 
			 2003–04 19 
			 2004–05 6.6 
		
	
	Notes:
	From August 2004, Aimhigher merged with Partnerships for Progression, a university outreach programme funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). In academic year 2004/05, a further £71.7million is being distributed to local partnerships. It is not possible to say how much of this is being spent by universities.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Abandoned Vehicles

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs who is responsible for recovering abandoned vehicles left out on the sands of Morecambe Bay.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 8 November 2004
	Under Section 3(1) of the Refuse Disposal Amenity Act 1978, local authorities are under a duty to remove vehicles that are abandoned in their area on any land in the open air or on any other land forming part of a highway. However, under Section 3(3) of the same Act, local authorities are dissolved of this duty regarding vehicles that are situated otherwise than on a carriageway if it appears to them that the cost of removing them to the nearest convenient carriageway would be unreasonably high.
	Instances of vehicles abandoned on sands and in some cases swept out into the sea will no doubt fall under Section (3)3 of the Act.

Aircraft Emissions

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the Department for Transport regarding the reduction of emissions around Heathrow.

Elliot Morley: Officials in the Department are playing an active role and are in continuous contact with officials in the Department for Transport (DfT) as part of the DfT work under the Project for the Sustainable Development of Heathrow. This project takes forward the commitment made in the Government's White Paper "The Future of Air Transport" to examine how to make best use of Heathrow's existing two runways, and whether a third runway could be added after a new runway at Stansted, while complying with strict conditions on air quality, noise and improved public transport access (paragraph 11.63 of the The Future of Air Transport White Paper).

Aircraft Emissions

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the effects on emissions of mixed-mode runway operation at Heathrow.

Elliot Morley: The Department has not commissioned any work on the effect on emissions of air pollutants from mixed-mode runway operation at Heathrow.
	The Future of Air Transport White Paper mentioned mixed mode as a possible way of making best use of Heathrow's existing runways, and included some preliminary assessment of the air quality impacts. However, it acknowledged that the issue would require detailed study and that full public consultation would be necessary before any decisions were reached. My officials will be working with officials in the Department for Transport to consider the issues, in the context of the work on the Project for the Sustainable Development of Heathrow.

Albatross

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate has been made of the impact of long-line fishing nets on albatross populations; and what progress she has made in eliminating these nets.

Elliot Morley: It is estimated by Birdlife International that 270,000 albatrosses and petrels die annually from long-line fishing. We are working with our international partners to address the threats these birds face from it. For example, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has an international action plan on seabirds which contains measures to reduce the incidental catch from this type of fishing.
	The Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP), which came into force in February this year, requires its parties to support the FAO plan. The first meeting of parties is taking place this month and we will play an active part. We are also keen to encourage other range states to follow our example by ratifying the agreement.
	The FAO also has another international plan, which the UK was instrumental in negotiating, to tackle threats from pirate fishing; and we lead an international taskforce, drawn up under the auspices of OECD, looking at how best to take this forward.
	The Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), to which we are a party, supplements these international efforts, requiring all vessels operating in the Antarctic seas to attach a bird "scarers" to their fishing lines, sink their lines, and fish at night, as most birds fish during day-light hours. The vessels also have an observer on board to monitor compliance.

Arable Area Payments

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been paid out under the Arable Area Payments Scheme in each county in England in 2003–04; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: After allowing for modulation and other adjustments the following payments have been sent to addresses in English counties in respect of claims made in 2003 under the Arable Area Payments Scheme (AAPS).
	
		
			 County Payment (£) 
		
		
			 Avon 4,495,056 
			 Bedfordshire 16,700,325 
			 Berkshire 10,475,642 
			 Buckinghamshire 14,179,308 
			 Cambridgeshire 50,521,681 
			 Cheshire 7,332,649 
			 Cleveland 3,586,360 
			 Cornwall 11,769,296 
			 Cumbria 6,400,085 
			 Derbyshire 8,397,207 
			 Devonshire 18,933,104 
			 Dorset 16,024,764 
			 Durham 11,171,783 
			 Essex 49,070,236 
			 Gloucestershire 21,349,171 
			 Greater London 1,094,642 
			 Greater Manchester 1,347,715 
			 Hampshire 29,414,868 
			 Hereford and Worcester 25,922,440 
			 Hertfordshire 17,789,399 
			 Humberside 50,426,973 
			 Isle of Wight 2,386,338 
			 Kent 29,804,138 
			 Lancashire 4,566,930 
			 Leicestershire 27,921,568 
			 Lincolnshire 88,075,155 
			 Merseyside 2,213,356 
			 Norfolk 59,511,949 
			 Northamptonshire 30,009,355 
			 Northumberland 23,399,447 
			 Nottinghamshire 24,605,907 
			 Oxfordshire 30,905,216 
			 Shropshire 22,925,473 
			 Somerset 12,597,967 
			 Staffordshire 12,787,076 
			 Suffolk 48,889,561 
			 Surrey 3,964,111 
			 Sussex, East 7,505,715 
			 Sussex, West 11,771,394 
			 Tyne and Wear 2,174,018 
			 Warwickshire 20,232,260 
			 West Midlands 1,575,935 
			 Wiltshire 31,743,734 
			 Yorkshire, North 55,370,557 
			 Yorkshire, South 10,647,164 
			 Yorkshire, West 6,087,891 
		
	
	Payments in respect of AAPS claims made in 2004 are due to start being issued on 16 November. As indicated in Defra News Release 368/04, priority will be given to farmers in the areas worst affected by wet weather during the summer harvest.

Beak Trimming

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the readiness of the poultry and egg industries for the ending of beak trimming in 2010.

Ben Bradshaw: Defra set up the Beak Trimming Action Plan Group to monitor progress on the issue of beak trimming. Defra is working with industry, breeders and animal welfare groups to discuss alternatives to enable industry to adapt to the ban without comprising bird welfare. This work is ongoing.

Biodiesel

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Government plans to promote (a) the wider use of and (b) research into the benefits of biodiesel.

Elliot Morley: The Government are promoting the use of biofuels through cuts of 20 pence per litre in the duty rate for biodiesel and bioethanol. The Government are currently considering the UK's indicative targets for the use of biofuels under the EU Biofuels Directive. Measures being considered to help meet these targets include a renewable transport fuel obligation, input-based taxation for biofuels and enhanced capital allowances for production plants. Regional support grants for capital investment in production plants are already available through the Regional Development Agencies.
	The Government have sponsored promotional leaflets, such as "Drive cleaner, drive cheaper" and "The facts on biodiesel and bioethanol". The locations of filling stations retailing biodiesel are available on the Energy Saving Trust's website at: http://www.cleaner-drive.co.uk/transportenergy.
	A number of Government-funded research projects have established the benefits of biodiesel in terms of reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Cambridge University has recently been commissioned to review the economics of energy crops, including those used for biodiesel. The benefits of biodiesel will also be considered as part of the current review of the UK Climate Change Programme.

Birds of Prey

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under what circumstances birds of prey may be impounded; and what facilities are available for keeping impounded birds.

Elliot Morley: A court shall order the forfeiture of any bird belonging to a person convicted of an offence under section 7 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 or Regulation 8 of the Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations 1997. In certain other circumstances, birds may be seized if they were illegally imported or for the protection of evidence.
	Furthermore, there are powers under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 for police to seize animals where they consider that they have been subject to unnecessary suffering (an offence under section 1 of the Protection of Animals Act 1911).
	As regards suitable facilities, neither the police nor HM Customs and Excise have their own, but they ensure that suitable accommodation that can hold the animals is found.

Bovine Subsidy

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many errors were found in bovine subsidy claims in 2003–04; and if she will break down by proportion the types of errors.

Alun Michael: Information can be provided on the number of producers, claims and animals with 2003 bovine scheme year errors that have resulted in the application of an administrative penalty. This is given as follows for all bovine schemes.
	A breakdown by type of error is only available at animal level covering the Beef Special Premium Scheme (BSPS), Suckler Cow Premium Scheme (SCPS) and the Slaughter Premium Scheme (SPS). Such figures for the Extensification Payment Scheme (EPS) are not available.
	
		
			 Scheme Claims with errors Percentage of total claims 
		
		
			 BSPS 452 0.5 
			 SCPS 591 3.5 
			 SPS 805 0.8 
			 EPS 2,472 9.4 
		
	
	Notes:
	Percentages have been rounded to one decimal place.
	Figures do not include errors that have not resulted in the application of administrative penalties e.g. notified errors and obvious errors.
	Information for the 2004 scheme year will not be available until August 2005 when the scheme year has officially closed, post payment checks are complete and data is compiled for submission to the European Commission.

Bovine TB

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the farmers who have agreed to take part in the gamma interferon TB test, broken down by area.

Ben Bradshaw: It is not our practice to publish the details of herds affected with TB. To publish a list of the individual farmers who have agreed to take part in the gamma-interferon policy pilot could disadvantage those helping Defra with its research. However, summary figures are available. On 31 October 2004, 125 herds were actively taking part in the pilot. A breakdown by State Veterinary Service (SVS) Division is given in the table:
	
		
			 SVS animal health divisional office area Number of herds recruited pilot 
		
		
			 Stafford 14 
			 Worcester 46 
			 Caernarfon 8 
			 Cardiff 18 
			 Carmarthen 39 
			 Total 125 
		
	
	In addition to the pilot, since November 2003 the SVS has used the gamma-interferon test in parallel with the skin test:
	to resolve severe or prolonged confirmed TB breakdowns
	to assess the need for whole herd slaughter, and
	as a confirmatory test for non-specific skin test reactors and inconclusive reactors.
	A breakdown of ad-hoc use of gamma-interferon by SVS Division is given in the following table.
	
		Ad hoc use of the gamma-interferon TB test by SVS Division
		
			 SVS animal health divisional office area Number of herds in which gamma-interferon used 
		
		
			 Exeter 4 
			 Taunton 5 
			 Gloucester 3 
			 Worcester 1 
			 Carlisle 4 
			 Leeds 1 
			 Stafford 4 
			 Leicester 1 
			 Reigate 1 
			 Reading 1 
			 Carmarthen 8 
			 Caernarfon 1 
			 Cardiff 2 
			 Ayr 1 
			 Inverurie 1 
			 Total 38

Bovine TB

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which authority in the UK is responsible for maintaining a register of (a) farmed deer herds and (b) park or estate deer.

Ben Bradshaw: Keepers of deer in England are not required to register their herd with any central authority. Deer must, however, be identified in accordance with the Tuberculosis (Deer) Order 1989, as amended, before they move. Movement of deer must be notified to the appropriate local authority within three days. The official identification mark required for the purposes of deer identification is either a Defra mark or a mark issued by the British Deer Farmers Association. Keepers can obtain the official Defra mark only through registration with Defra.

Brewing Industry

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assistance she offers to overseas brewers with manufacturing bases in the UK to encourage their use of UK-grown raw ingredients;
	(2)  what recent discussions her Department has had with overseas brewers with manufacturing bases in the UK to encourage the use of UK-grown raw ingredients.

Alun Michael: There is no financial assistance available for this purpose since this would be contrary to the principles of the EU single market and the WTO. We have had no discussions with overseas brewers on this issue.

British Overseas Territories

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the Joint Nature Conservation Committee spent on work in (a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2003–04 in (i) each of the UK overseas territories and (ii) the UK overseas territories collectively.

Ben Bradshaw: The Joint Nature Conservation Committee spent the following sums on work relating directly to the UK Overseas Territories for the years in question. JNCC accounting does not enable the sums to be divided between the individual Overseas Territories nor, for the years before 2003–04, is it possible to separate all of the expenditure on Overseas Territories from expenditure in other programme areas. In those years, advice relating to Overseas Territories was generally supported from budgets for wider programmes of work, for example, those on Multi-lateral Environmental Agreements, rather than specifically on the Territories themselves. Accordingly, the figures in the following table should be seen to be indicative rather than definitive. However, to give a feel for JNCC activities relating to Overseas Territories, some key areas of work by the JNCC which relate to specific Territories, or to them all collectively, are summarised in Annex 1.
	
		
			  Spend 1 (£000) 
		
		
			 2003–04 39 
			 2002–03 40 
			 2001–02 43 
		
	
	(26) Including staff costs and associated overheads.
	Annex 1: JNCC activities relating to Overseas Territories from 2001–04
	2003–04
	JNCC contributed to the development of priorities for, and the panel assessing bids to, the Overseas Territories Environment Programme.
	We commissioned a review of invasive/non-native species in all UK Overseas Territories (completed in 2004) and held a UK workshop on the same.
	We commented on management plans for Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean Territory) and Henderson Island (Pitcairn).
	We participated in a Cayman Islands workshop on green turtle management in the wider Caribbean.
	We contributed to training, in Anguilla, of enforcement officials at the UK Caribbean Overseas Territories Wildlife and Trade Law Enforcement Workshop.
	We supported Defra and FCO in development of an Overseas Territories CITES web-based network.
	We continued to support a PhD studentship assessing the impacts of climate change in UK Overseas Territories.
	We represented the UK at the 2nd meeting of the Parties to the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation and Management of Marine Turtles and their Habitats of the Indian Ocean and South East Asia.
	We participated in the steering group for the review of the Ramsar site series in the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.
	We contributed to the review at the CITES Animals Committee of trade in queen conch Strombus gigas, a species of significant economic importance to the Caribbean Overseas Territories.
	We represented the UK at the 2nd Meeting of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee of the Protocol concerning Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife in the Wider Caribbean region (SPAW) and contributed to the revision of the SPAW listing criteria.
	2002–03
	We continued to provide advice and support to FCO and other Government Departments on nature conservation issues in the Overseas Territories, including advising on sources of advice for Environmental Impact Assessments in the Falklands, on applications to the FCO Environment Fund, and on draft Overseas Territories legislation.
	We provided advice and support concerning the Cayman Island's proposal to register the Cayman Turtle Farm as a captive breeding facility under CITES at the 12th Conference of the parties.
	We participated in the conference on conservation in UK Overseas Territories and other small island communities in Bermuda.
	We supported the UK delegation to the 2nd meeting of the CITES hawksbill turtle dialogue meeting for the wider Caribbean, held in the Cayman Islands.
	We supported the UK delegation to the 2nd meeting of the CITES hawksbill turtle dialogue meeting for the wider Caribbean, held in the Cayman Islands.
	We supported the UK delegation to the 7th Conference of the Cartagena Convention and the 10th meeting of the Caribbean Environment Programme.
	We continued to provide consultancy advice to Falklands Conservation on seabirds.
	2001–02
	We supported the UK delegation to the 1st meeting of the CITES hawksbill turtle dialogue meeting for the wider Caribbean in Mexico.
	We commented on draft CITES and other legislation for the Cayman Islands and others.
	We supported the UK delegation at meetings (in South Africa and Australia) negotiating the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, directly relevant to the South Atlantic Overseas Territories.
	We provided assistance to Defra into the specification and commissioning of research into exploitation of marine turtles in UK Caribbean Overseas Territories.
	We supported the UK delegation to the 1st Conference of the parties to the SPAW Protocol and its Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee in Cuba.
	We provided support to the UK delegation to a meeting on the Conservation and Management of Marine Turtles of the Indian Ocean held in the Philippines (prior to a formal memorandum of understanding being signed).
	We concluded our work on Seabirds at Sea in the South West Atlantic (under contract to Falklands Conservation) with the publication of "Vulnerable Concentrations of Seabirds in Falkland Islands Waters", but continued to provide consultancy advice to Falklands Conservation on seabirds.

British Overseas Territories

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the sources of the funding is for the work carried out in the UK overseas territories by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

Ben Bradshaw: The source of funding for the JNCC's work on UK overseas territories is predominantly through grant in aid received via the three GB country nature conservation agencies (English Nature, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Countryside Council for Wales). This is in line with the funding arrangements for the JNCC set out in the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
	Exceptions to this have been where the JNCC has provided advice on seabirds and cetaceans around the Falkland Islands in a consultancy role to Falklands Conservation (£3,000 in 2001–02 and £2,500 in 2002–03). In addition, small contributions to travel and subsistence costs (but not staff time) have occasionally been made by FCO to support attendance of JNCC officials at meetings relating to the overseas territories (e.g. CITES and wildlife law enforcement seminar for Caribbean overseas territories in Anguilla, 2003; hawksbill turtle range state dialogue meeting in Mexico, 2001).

BSE

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the recent Food Standards Agency findings on shortcomings in the Meat Hygiene Service in relation to BSE controls.

Ben Bradshaw: Defra accepts the conclusions of the FSA's independent inquiry into failure by the Meat Hygiene Service to test some 24–30 month casualty animals. We are addressing those recommendations that fall to Defra. The FSA Board agreed on 14 October that the FSA would work closely with all the parties concerned on an action plan to prevent further failures.

CITES Import Permits

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species import permits have been granted for (a) wild-caught and (b) captive-bred primates from outside the EU in the last five years, broken down by (i) species and (ii) purpose of import.

Elliot Morley: The following table shows the numbers and species of primates imported from 2000 to date.
	
		
			 Species and origin Number Purpose Number 
		
		
			 Callicebus cupreus
			 (Red Titi)
			 Wild caught 13 Zoos 11 
			 Captive bred 0 Bio-medical research 2 
			 
			 Callithrix argentata
			 (Black-tailed Marmoset)
			 Wild caught 2 Zoos 1 
			 Captive bred 0 Bio-medical research 1 
			 
			 Callithrix geoffroyi
			 (White-fronted Marmoset)
			 Wild caught 18 Zoos 23 
			 Captive bred 5   
			 
			 Cebus apella
			 (Tufted Capuchin)
			 Wild caught 0   
			 Captive bred 1 Zoos 1 
			 
			 Chlorocebus aethiops
			 (Vervet monkey)
			 Wild caught 2 Zoos 1 
			 Captive bred 0 Personal 1 
			 
			 Daubentonia madagascriensis
			 (Aye-aye)
			 Wild caught 1 Zoos 1 
			 Captive bred 0   
			 
			 Halpalemur griseus
			 (Grey Gentle Lemur)
			 Wild caught 3 Zoos 4 
			 Captive bred 1   
			 
			 Leontopithecus chrysomela
			 (Golden-headed Lion  Tamarin)
			 Wild caught 0 Zoos 1 
			 Captive bred 1   
			 Leontopithecus rosalia
			 (Golden Lion Tamarin)
			 Wild caught 0 Biomedical research 1 
			 Captive bred 1   
			 
			 Macaca fascicularis
			 (Crab eating macaque)
			 Wild caught 6,361 Bio-medical research 7,347 
			 Captive bred 1,710 Scientific 423 
			   Commercial 241 
			   Breeding in captivity 60 
			 
			 Macaca mulatta
			 (Rhesus monkey)
			 Wild caught 0 Bio-medical research 93 
			 Captive bred 275 Commercial 182 
			 
			 Macaca nigra
			 (Celebes Crested macaque)
			 Wild caught 0 Zoos 6 
			 Captive bred 6   
			 
			 Mandrillus sphinx
			 (Mandrill)
			 Wild caught 0 Zoos 1 
			 Captive bred 1   
			 
			 Pan troglodytes
			 (Chimpanzee)
			 Wild caught 1 Zoos 2 
			 Captive bred 1   
			 
			 Pitheca pitheca
			 (White-faced Saki)
			 Wild caught 0 Zoos 1 
			 Captive bred 1   
			 
			 Pongo pygmaeus
			 (Orang-utan)
			 Wild caught 0 Zoos 1 
			 Captive bred 1   
			 
			 Saguinus bicolour
			 (Pied Tamarin)
			 Wild caught 0 Zoos 1 
			 Captive bred 1   
			 
			 Saguinus imerator
			 (Emperor Tamarin)
			 Wild caught 0 Zoos 1 
			 Captive bred 1   
			 
			 Varecia variegata
			 (Ruffed Lemur)
			 Wild caught 0 Zoos 2 
			 Captive bred 2

Climate Change

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will examine the report, "Up In Smoke?", on the impact of global warming on human development, by the Working Group on Climate Change and Development.

Elliot Morley: The Department welcome the report "Up In Smoke?". The report, put together by leading environmental and development organisations, highlights how the impacts of climate change could undermine achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGS) and that climate change could even reverse human development achievements. It reinforces the need for developed countries to take the lead in actions to mitigate climate change and calls for the provision of greater financial assistance to help developing countries to adapt to the impacts of climate change. It also identifies the need for nature conservation and development models that are both climate proof and climate friendly.
	Climate change is already happening. Because of past and recent emissions of greenhouse gases, we are already locked in some degree of climate change. As stated in the report, it is the poor and vulnerable communities that are going to suffer the most. The report calls for urgent action from governments. We recognise the need to act now to effectively combat climate change. We fully recognise the need to work with developing countries to help them assess their vulnerability to climate change and adapt to the inevitable changes.
	One of the recommendations of the report is to "work toward a better understanding of the threat". The Department works with developing countries to help them improve their understanding of the effects of climate change. Defra has undertaken collaborative research projects with India and China to help these countries assess the likely impacts of climate change. This work involved the development of new approaches to assessment of vulnerability as well as capacity building. New bilateral research projects with China and India are currently being developed.
	As highlighted in the report, Africa is one of the most vulnerable countries to the adverse effects of climate change. The report reads: "Africa already has a highly variable and unpredictable climate and climate change is making it worse". The Department and the Department for International Development, DFID, have commissioned a joint study on climate and climate change issues relevant to Africa. The study will identify information gaps, key priorities for further research and options for collective international action for Africa. The results of this study will be made available to the Commission for Africa.
	Climate change threatens livelihoods of poor people with long-term pernicious effects on development. The report calls for development models based on risk reduction and incorporating adaptation strategies. The Department is actively involved in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Working Party on Global and Sustainable Policies, which aims to identify the linkages between climate change and development. This work will also be useful in informing the UK's G8 focus on both climate change and Africa.
	DFID is supporting developing country efforts to integrate climate change into mainstream poverty reduction agendas. DFID is working with other donors, NGOs, developing country partners and the disaster risk reduction community to better understand how climate risks can be managed. For example, DFID is engaged in a multi-agency effort to identify linkages, complementarities and areas of divergence between disaster prevention and climate change adaptation.

Coastal Defences

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she has discussed the weighting given to heritage in the calculation of need for coastal defences with her counterpart in the Dutch Government.

Elliot Morley: I have had informal discussions with ministerial colleagues in the Netherlands on matters relating to coastal defences but have not discussed this specific point with them.
	Officials from our two countries meet on a regular basis. Recognising the benefits to be gained by shared experiences both in respect of policy and engineering solutions, officials from the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Denmark and England agreed to meet on an annual basis more than five years ago and so formed the North Sea Coastal Managers Group. The English delegation is led by my Chief Engineer.
	Meetings of the group have proved an invaluable forum for the exchange of information. However, it is important to recognise that there are differences between the Netherlands and England both in terms of the geography of the coastline and the proportion of the economic wealth at risk of flooding.

Commercial Fishing Licences

Quentin Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many UK commercial fishing licences are on issue.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 11 November 2004
	The number of UK commercial fishing licences on issue at 1 November 2004 was 6,406.

Commercial Fishing Licences

Quentin Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many UK commercial fishing licences are held by nationals of other EU member states.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 11 November 2004
	The number of vessels with UK licences owned by nationals of other EU member states at 1 November 2004 was 107.

Common Agricultural Policy

Michael Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the cost per person per week of the Common Agricultural Policy in the United Kingdom in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Alun Michael: Using figures from 2002, we estimate that the Common Agricultural Policy costs around £8 per week for a family of four. This includes the cost of increased food prices and a notional estimate of the taxpayer cost of financing the policy, though in practice the UK contributes to the whole EU budget rather than specific components. It remains the Government's objective to bring the down the cost of the Common Agricultural Policy and secure better value from it.

Community Energy

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which schemes have been awarded (a) capital grants and (b) development grants under the Community Energy Programme.

Elliot Morley: To date we have awarded capital grants totalling £47,422,329 and development grants totalling £1,776,253. The following tables provide a full list of both. Of the capital grants, 5,762,382 will be re-allocated to new schemes in a further bidding round due to the withdrawal of some schemes.
	
		Community energy capital grants awarded
		
			 Scheme Grant (£) Withdrawn (£) 
		
		
			 Norwich city council 300,000 — 
			 University of Warwick 650,000 — 
			 University of Edinburgh 250,000 — 
			 Shetland Heat Energy and Power Ltd. 500,000 — 
			 Aberdeen city council 659,716 — 
			 Southampton city council 101,000 — 
			 Midlothian — 114,774 
			 Kirklees MBC — 708,422 
			 London borough of Croydon 535,805 — 
			 Midlothian council 449,200 — 
			 Edinburgh University 1,630,948 — 
			 University of Dundee 50,000 — 
			 Woking borough council 545,000 — 
			 Portsmouth county council 435,263 — 
			 Royal Southampton hospital 93,222 — 
			 Rotherham borough council 80,835 — 
			 Chesterfield BC — 880,000 
			 UMIST — 533,499 
			 University of East Anglia 210,000 — 
			 Westminster city council 1,200,000 — 
			 London borough of Lambeth 956,052 — 
			 Warwick University 500,000 — 
			 Perthshire HA 39,798 — 
			 Cloch HA 27,520 — 
			 Southampton University 830,545 — 
			 Plymouth city council 2,150,000 — 
			 University of Plymouth — 55,000 
			 Kirklees MBC — 613,795 
			 Angus Com Care Trust 42,009 — 
			 Hjaltland HA 393,502 — 
			 Llanwddyn/Powys CC 47,459 — 
			 UCL  898,242 
			 Barking NHS Trust 536,000 — 
			 Leicester 5,100,000 — 
			 Shetland Charitable Trust 318,000 — 
			 Kilburn Square — 113,488 
			 Watmos 500,000 — 
			 Edinburgh University 2,691,780 — 
			 Midlothian council 562,052 — 
			 Aberdeen University 1,753,000 — 
			 Clydebank HA 775,760 — 
			 Buckinghamshire council 13,991 — 
			 University of Southampton 30,000 — 
			 Family HA — 35,000 
			 Ceridigion CC 193,107 — 
			 Stockton on Tees BC 85,000 — 
			 Barnsley MBC 202,366 — 
			 Nth Glasgow University Hospital  NHS Trust 304,591 — 
			 Lanarkshire Housing Association 35,000 — 
			 Dundee University 65,000 — 
			 London Borough of Southwark 4,350,000 — 
			 Walbrook Housing Group 12,500 — 
			 Nottingham city council 26,775 — 
			 Birmingham city council 700,000 — 
			 University of Warwick 78,000 — 
			 Newcastle city council 1,996,824 — 
			 Southampton city council 3,577,916 — 
			 Highland council 1,545,000 — 
			 Aberdeen Heat and Power 1,334,190 — 
			 Aberdeen Heat and Power 613,052 — 
			 Fife council 374,326 — 
			 Loughborough University 230,000 — 
			 Isle of Anglesey county council — 1,810,162 
			 Genesis Housing Group 450,000 — 
			 Swan Housing Group 122,000 — 
			 Southampton CC 3,279,000 — 
			 Bracknell Forest MBC 1,850,000 — 
			 Royal Shrewsbury Hospitals NHS Trust 546,925 — 
			 Sanctuary HA 290,000 — 
			 Western Education and Library Board—  St. Ronans 38,000 — 
			 Western Education and Library Board—  St. Aidans 25,800 — 
			 Western Education and Library Board—  St. Eugenes 29,500 — 
			 Aberdeenshire council 109,000 — 
			 Total 47,422,329 5,762,382 
		
	
	
		Community energy development grants awarded
		
			 Scheme Grant (£) 
		
		
			 Cloch Housing Association 3,150.00 
			 City West Homes 8,750.00 
			 Southampton city council 3,750.00 
			 Southampton city council 3,750.00 
			 Perthshire Housing Association 1,856.00 
			 Stockport metropolitan borough council 3,300.00 
			 Perthshire Housing Association 2,325.00 
			 Stockport Metropolitan borough council 3,439.00 
			 South Ayrshire council 6,600.00 
			 Stockport metropolitan borough council 3,176.00 
			 Stockport metropolitan borough council 3,071.00 
			 Kilburn Square Housing Co-operative 3,750.00 
			 Glasgow University 6,250.00 
			 South Ayrshire council 6,350.00 
			 Hampshire county council 6,000.00 
			 Oldham metropolitan borough council 6,250.00 
			 Isle of Anglesey county council 9,250.00 
			 The University of Glasgow 9,900.00 
			 Milton Keynes council 10,000.00 
			 Poolsbrook Heating Development Ltd. 9,700.00 
			 Sheffield council 3,963.00 
			 High Weald Housing Association 10,000.00 
			 Barnsley MBC 3,750.00 
			 Police Service of Northern Ireland 10,000.00 
			 Police Service of Northern Ireland 10,000.00 
			 London borough of Lambeth 10,000.00 
			 Highland council 10,000.00 
			 Caerphilly county borough council 9,800.00 
			 University of Surrey 10,000.00 
			 Clydebank Housing Association 5,305.00 
			 WATMOS Housing Co-Operative Limited 18,500.00 
			 Newcastle city council 49,812.50 
			 Falkirk council 8,500.00 
			 Sheffield city council 6,900.00 
			 Bedfordshire Pilgrims Housing Association 2,750.00 
			 City of Edinburgh council 2,300.00 
			 Watmos Housing Co-Operative Limited 10,000.00 
			 Fyne Homes 6,650.00 
			 London borough of Tower Hamlets 11,500.00 
			 Spelthorne borough council 18,450.00 
			 Shropshire county council 13,950.00 
			 Bristol city council 9,575.00 
			 Leicester city council 25,000.00 
			 Linx Homes 8,000.00 
			 Sandwell MBC 2,910.00 
			 Dorset county council 4,900.00 
			 Edinburgh University 49,025.00 
			 Bracknell DC 59,650.00 
			 Birmingham city council 9,000.00 
			 London borough of Tower Hamlets 11,175.00 
			 Highland council 14,329.00 
			 Pimlico District Heating Scheme 6,370.00 
			 London Borough of Tower Hamlets 10,000.00 
			 Nottingham city council 4,500.00 
			 New Lanarkshire Conservation Trust 1,425.00 
			 London Metropolitan University 14,025.00 
			 Birmingham city council 9,000.00 
			 Northern Counties Housing Association 3,380.00 
			 Fife council 29,487.00 
			 Fife council 24,989.00 
			 Birmingham city council 11,000.00 
			 Oldham metropolitan borough council 15,000.00 
			 Bristol city council 7,650.00 
			 Newcastle city council 15,000.00 
			 Bristol city council 10,000.00 
			 Western Education and Library Board 10,800.00 
			 Department for Constitutional Affairs 3,125.00 
			 Falkirk council 25,000.00 
			 Aberdeenshire council 2,375.00 
			 The Royal Shrewsbury Hospitals NHS Trust 28,641.00 
			 Greater London authority 97,549.00 
			 London borough of Islington 42,336.00 
			 Sanctuary Housing Association 3,000.00 
			 Stockport MBC 1,600.00 
			 Stockport MBC 1,600.00 
			 Albyn Housing Association 9,675.00 
			 Aberdeen Heat and Power 6,765.00 
			 Forestry Commission 14,580.00 
			 Cumbernauld Housing Partnership 13,750.00 
			 City of Westminster council 23,600.00 
			 Kings College London 4,750.00 
			 Birmingham Heartlands NHS Trust 24,448.00 
			 Lanarkshire HA 4,595.00 
			 Walbrook Housing Association 11,500.00 
			 Basildon and Thurrock General Hospitals NHS  Trust 13,100.00 
			 City of Westminster 37,950.00 
			 South Bedfordshire DC 3,750.00 
			 Bath University 7,817.50 
			 Winchester city council 7,900.00 
			 Weymouth and Portland Housing 7,342.00 
			 Bristol University 23,900.00 
			 Swan Housing Group 5,500.00 
			 Somer Community Housing Trust 10,800.00 
			 Reidvale HA Stock 9,850.00 
			 Home HA 9,100.00 
			 Cardiff CC 16,000.00 
			 Awel Amen Tawe 12,253.00 
			 Westlea HA 7,200.00 
			 Barnsley MBC 3,750.00 
			 Peterborough CC 22,150.00 
			 Genesis Housing Group 9,300.00 
			 Reigate and Banstead BC 24,500.00 
			 Somerset county council 11,700.00 
			 Birmingham Heartlands NHS 14,065.00 
			 Mansfield DC 5,000.00 
			 Manchester CC 8,250.00 
			 Sheffield University 10,600.00 
			 Eastlands Homes 4,100.00 
			 LB Enfield 13,000.00 
			 QM University College 24,750.00 
			 United Lincs Hospitals NHS Trust 21,400.00 
			 Hermitage HA 15,000.00 
			 Leicester CC 35,365.00 
			 Spelthorne BC 24,550.00 
			 London South Bank University 14,925.00 
			 East Lothian HA 4,980.00 
			 DFPOBD 19,598.00 
			 Home HA Ltd. 5,150.00 
			 District of Bolsover council 16,550.00 
			 Cookstown DC 7,000.00 
			 Down Lisburn HSS Trust 36,075.00 
			 Loughborough University 34,450.00 
			 Somerset CC 35,800.00 
			 Carrick DC 38,575.00 
			 English Partnerships 23,999.00 
			 Perthshire HA 18,700.00 
			 North Glasgow HA 12,500.00 
			 Salford CC 13,900.00 
			 Southern Education and Library Board 8,432.00 
			 Gwent Healthcare 14,100.00 
			 Dungannon and District HA 4,000.00 
			 Berwickshire HA Ltd. 2,500.00 
			 Old Ford HA 13,000.00 
			 University of Wales 4,250.00 
			 Total 1,776,253.00

Composting

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether organic material derived from the mechanical biological treatment of compost qualifies as suitable for composting for the purposes of local authority targets.

Elliot Morley: Only the production of compost which meets the definition stated in Government guidance can count towards Best Value Performance Indicator 82b. This is available from the Defra website at www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/management/guidance/mwms/10.htm. With the standard of current technology it is unlikely that the product of a Mechanical and Biological Treatment process will meet that definition, in which case it would not be permissible for local authorities to count it towards meeting their recycling targets.

Composting

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what criteria are used to determine whether material produced for composting constitutes controllable waste.

Elliot Morley: The definition of waste in force in the United Kingdom is the definition in Article 1(a) of the Waste Framework Directive (as amended). Whether or not a substance is discarded as waste, and when waste ceases to be waste, are matters which must be determined on the facts of the case and the interpretation of the law is a matter for the Courts. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has issued several judgments on the definition of waste which are binding on member states and their "competent authorities".
	Composting is classified as a waste recovery operation under the Directive. This means that, in England and Wales, composting must be carried out under the terms of a licence issued by or a licensing exemption registered with the Environment Agency.
	The ECJ has ruled that
	"..whether [a substance] is waste, must be determined in the light of all the circumstances, regard being had to the aim of the Directive and the need to ensure that its effectiveness is not undermined."
	In practice, this means that waste does not cease to be waste until it has been fully recovered within the meaning of the Directive and there is certainty of its use as a product without undergoing a further recovery operation. The Environment Agency considers that (a) source-segregated waste which, after composting, meets a recognised and suitable quality standard (e.g. BSI PAS 100) is likely to meet the first criterion; and (b) mixed waste which is composted is likely to remain waste until it is used in a further recovery operation (e.g. land treatment resulting in agricultural benefit or ecological improvement) subject to control by the Agency under a licence or registered licensing exemption.

Consultants/Advisers

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the top 20 consultancy firms by contract value used by her Department in each of the last five years.

Alun Michael: Consultancy expenditure is part of the Department's expenditure on professional services. As part of its preparations for and implementation of the Gershon value for money agenda in Defra, a detailed analysis of departmental expenditure on professional services is being undertaken currently, and I will place a copy of the analysis in the House of Commons Library in due course.

Consultants/Advisers

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much expenditure her Department has incurred in (a) 2002, (b) 2003 and (c) 2004 to date on employing external consultants; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: Consultancy expenditure is part of the Department's expenditure on professional services. As part of its preparations for and implementation of the Gershon value for money agenda in Defra, a detailed analysis of departmental expenditure on professional services is being undertaken and I will place a copy of the analysis in the House of Commons Library in due course.

Consultants/Advisers

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the contracts awarded by her Department to external consultants in each of the last seven years, stating in each case (a) the name of the consulting company, (b) the value of the contract, (c) the purpose for which the contract was awarded and (d) whether the contract was completed.

Alun Michael: Defra came into being in June 2001. The information requested is not held centrally.
	nsultancy expenditure is part of the Department's expenditure on professional services. As part of its preparations for and implementation of the Gershon value for money agenda in Defra, a detailed analysis of departmental expenditure on professional services is being undertaken currently, and I will place a copy of the analysis in the Library of the House in due course.

Consultants/Advisers

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) maximum rate per day paid to private sector consultants and professional advisers employed within her Department, (b) average rate per day paid to consultants and professional advisers employed within her Department and (c) average rate per day paid to civil servants employed by her Department is in 2004–05.

Alun Michael: The average rate per day paid to civil servants employed by the Department is £75 per day if the average salary is divided by 365 days. The rate is £105 if the average salary is divided by the number of working days (including leave and public holidays for which civil servants are paid). These figures refer to permanent staff in core Defra.
	The maximum rate and average rate per day paid for externally provided professional services within the Department are being calculated currently as part of a detailed analysis of expenditure on professional services, of which consultancy is a part.
	Comparing rates for externally provided professional services with rates per day paid to civil servants is misleading as the professional services rates include a variety of overheads including the need to make a commercial return. Overheads for directly-employed staff are allowed for elsewhere in the Department's budget.

Consultants/Advisers

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the use of private sector consultants and professional advisers employed by her Department are subject to external audit.

Alun Michael: All public expenditure on goods, services and works are subject to audit by departmental auditors, the National Audit Office, the European Commission's auditors and various other Government and public bodies having regulatory and investigative functions connected with the probity and propriety of public expenditure.
	Information given to auditors would be available to Ministers if required subject only to consideration by Defra's Audit and Risk Committee, which is chaired by the Permanent Secretary as Defra's Accounting Officer.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average cost of processing (a) a Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species import licence, (b) an Article 10 certificate, (c) a licence under the Balai Directive and (d) a Dangerous Wild Animals licence was in the last year for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The average cost of processing CITES and Article 10 certificate applications in the financial year 2002–03 was £120 (this figure includes import, export and re-export applications).
	Approval of a premises under the Balai Directive is dealt with on an individual basis. The average cost to the Department for an approval is £500.
	The Department does not hold detailed information on the cost of processing Dangerous Wild Animal Act licences as this licensing function is carried out at local authority level. Licence fees are set by each local authority at a level sufficient to cover its costs.

Countryside Agency

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether, in appointing a new head of the Countryside Agency, shortlisted candidates were asked their views on (a) field sports and (b) hunting.

Alun Michael: The interviews of shortlisted candidates for appointment to the Chair of the Countryside Agency were based on the advertised criteria. These included a strong grasp of the challenges facing rural England and the English countryside and evidence of a strong commitment to the English countryside and the social and economic well-being of rural society, as well as the ability and experience to lead an organisation such as the Countryside Agency. Candidates were not asked their views on field sports and hunting because these matters are nothing to do with the Agency's core business.

Dangerous Wild Animal Licences

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many dangerous wild animal licences have been granted for primates in the last five years, broken down by species.

Elliot Morley: Licensing keeping of dangerous wild animals in England and Wales is carried out at local authority level and so there is no central record of the number of licences granted.
	However, a review of the Dangerous Wild Animal Act, published by my Department in 2001, provides some relevant information. This reported that a total of 375 dangerous wild animal licences were granted in England and Wales in 2000, covering 11,878 animals. Of these, 655 of the animals licensed were primates (the figures were not broken down by species or by the number of animals held under each licence).

Dangerous Wild Animal Licences

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many Article 10 certificates have been granted for primates in the last five years, broken down by (a) species and (b) purpose of import.

Elliot Morley: The following table shows the number of Article 10 certificates issued on a species by species basis for the period in question. Details concerning the purpose of import are not recorded. Not all of the specimens were imported into the UK.
	
		
			 Scientific name and year of issue Common name and number issued 
		
		
			 Callimico goeldi Goeldi's Tamarin 
			 2000 2 
			 2003 3 
			 2004 1 
			   
			 Cercopithecus diana Diana Monkey 
			 2001 1 
			 2002 1 
			 2004 3 
			   
			 Colobus polykomos Western back-and-white colobus 
			 2003 1 
			   
			 Eulemurfulvus Brown lemur 
			 2000 2 
			 2002 4 
			 2003 6 
			 2004 6 
			   
			 Eulemur macaco Black lemur 
			 2000 2 
			 2001 3 
			   
			 Gorilla gorilla Gorilla 
			 2002 1 
			 2003 2 
			   
			 Hylobates lar White-handed gibbon 
			 2000 4 
			 2003 2 
			 2004 4 
			 Hylobates moloch Silvery gibbon 
			 2003 1 
			   
			 Hylobates syndactylus Siamang 
			 2002 1 
			 2003 2 
			   
			 Lemur catta Ring-tailed lemur 
			 2000 16 
			 2002 21 
			 2003 9 
			 2004 12 
			   
			 Leontopithecus rosalia Golden Lion Tamarin 
			 2000 1 
			 2003 1 
			   
			 Macaca silenus Long-tailed macaque 
			 2001 2 
			 2003 2 
			 2004 3 
			   
			 Pan troglodytes Chimpanzee 
			 2002 2 
			   
			 Pongo pygmaeus Orang-utan 
			 2002 1 
			 2004 1 
			   
			 Procolobus pennantii Eastern red colobus 
			 2003 2 
			   
			 Saguinus oedipus Cotton-headed Tamarin 
			 2000 1 
			 2001 2 
			 2002 8 
			 2003 13 
			 2004 7 
			   
			 Tarsius spectrum Spectral Tarsier 
			 2002 2 
			   
			 Trachypithecus francoisi Tonkin Leaf monkey 
			 2000 1 
			 2002 1 
			   
			 Varecia variegata Ruffed lemur 
			 2000 18 
			 2001 7 
			 2002 15 
			 2003 7 
			 2004 14 
			 Total 221

Departmental Offices/Staff

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost of (a) decoration and (b) refurbishment of the London offices of the Department was in each of the last four years.

Alun Michael: The information requested is as follows.
	(a) Decoration work carried out to the Department's London offices in each of the last four years was as follows.
	
		
			   £000 
		
		
			 2001–02 Nil — 
			 2002–03 Eastbury House—External 200 
			 2003–04 Nil — 
			 2004–05 Nobel House—Fine Rooms1, 2 200 
			  55 Whitehall—External(27) 300 
		
	
	(27) Work still in progress
	(28) Rooms affected by the Grade II listing of the building
	(b) Refurbishment work carried out in the Department's London offices in each of the last four years was:
	
		
			  
		
		
			 2001–02 Ergon House 3.75 
			  Cromwell House 1.3 
			 2002–03 9 Millbank 2.5 
			 2003–04 3–8 Whitehall 1.3 
			  Nobel House 6.0 
			 2004–05 Nobel House(29) 13.0 
			  55 Whitehall(29) 3.3 
		
	
	(29) Work still in progress

Departmental Offices/Staff

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of the staff in her Department in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003 were people with disabilities.

Alun Michael: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office (Ruth Kelly), on 9 November, Official Report, column 619W.

Disposable Nappies

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of (a) the number of disposable nappies used in each of the last five years, and (b) the costs in each of those years of disposing of those nappies.

Elliot Morley: We do not collect information on the number of disposable nappies used. Nor of the costs associated with their disposal.
	A number of Waste Disposal Authorities have estimated the costs are incurred from the disposal of disposable nappies, which range from £500,000 to over £1 million per year.

Dogs

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance her Department gives to local authorities regarding the implementation of effective penalties against individuals whose dogs foul public highways, pavements and parks.

Alun Michael: We do not provide guidance to local authorities for implementation of effective penalties for dog fouling offences but do offer advice wherever consulted.

Dogs

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance her Department gives to local authorities regarding the provision of dog waste bins.

Alun Michael: We do not provide local authorities with guidance on the provision of dog waste bins. Local authorities decide on the placing and quantity of dog waste bins in light of local circumstances.

Dogs

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what initiatives her Department is promoting to local authorities for combating dog fouling on public highways, pavements and parks.

Alun Michael: On our behalf ENCAMS run campaigns to raise awareness of local environmental issues, including dog fouling. The 2002/03 Local Environmental Quality Survey of England recorded a 27 per cent. drop in dog fouling, which followed a successful campaign in the summer of 2002. This trend has continued and figures from the survey indicate that fouling is less socially acceptable than has previously been the case.
	We are looking at several measures relating to dog fouling, including allowing local authorities to set the level of fixed penalty for dog fouling offences, and we will look to take them forward into legislation at the earliest available opportunity.

Dogs

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many puppies were imported into the UK from the Republic of Ireland in each of the past 10 years, broken down by breed; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 27 October 2004
	Under Single Market rules no records are kept of the number of puppies imported into the UK from the Republic of Ireland. There are no rules that restrict the trade in accompanied pet animals.

Eels

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the numbers of eels in England; and what assessment she has made of the impact of recent changes in numbers on (a) rivers and (b) the Severn, with specific reference to elvering.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 18 October 2004
	There is no comprehensive monitoring of the numbers of eels in England, but surveys on three rivers and catch data for a number of other rivers indicate no significant decline in stocks of yellow eels or changes in population structure over the last 20 years. However, elver recruitment in England and Wales has declined from peak values in the late 1970s, mirroring the changes seen elsewhere in Europe.
	There is no evidence for a large change in eel numbers in the Severn over the last 20 years, though there is a significant reduction (approximately 50 per cent.) in the proportion of small eels (under 150 mm) in the lower Severn which reflects the decline in recruitment of glass eel. The elver catch over recent years in the Severn is around 30 per cent. of the 1980/84 average.
	The decline in eel stocks is problem across the European Community and we support the need for a Community-wide rebuilding plan, and for the introduction, as soon as possible, of a coordinated framework of international management measures. We are actively involved with the Commission, and other Member States, in drawing up proposals to improve the conservation of eel stocks.
	In recognition of the poor state of stocks in England and Wales, new Environment Agency byelaws will soon be passed, introducing a new licensing system, and other controls on fishing for eels, other than by rod and line.

Elephants

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress is being made internationally on improving the protection for African elephants.

Elliot Morley: The African elephant is protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and all trade in raw ivory is currently suspended. Some elephant populations have recovered sufficiently to allow a one-off sale of existing ivory stocks but this will not take place until we are satisfied that the trade can be properly regulated and that the baseline data for monitoring the impact of such sales on the illegal killing of elephants (MIKE) are in place. The Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS), which is funded by Defra, is also helping to monitor the number of ivory seizures and identify the patterns of illegal trade. In addition, the CITES Secretariat has been directed to develop an action plan for dealing with the global market in ivory, focusing in particular on the unregulated domestic markets in Africa. It will also look at the markets in South East Asia, where the increased demand for ivory is thought to be fuelling the illegal killing of elephants.

Endangered Species

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress is being made in increasing protection for endangered species internationally.

Elliot Morley: Endangered species are protected internationally under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Proposals to increase the protection afforded to a number of different plant and animal species were adopted at the 13th Conference of CITES Parties, which was held in Bangkok, Thailand, at the beginning of October.
	Endangered species such as the Irrawaddy dolphin, sulphur-crested cockatoo and spider tortoise were added to Appendix I of CITES, which means that all commercial trade in them is now prohibited. Others such as the great white shark, humphead wrasse and Chinese yew were added to Appendix II, which means that trade in these species will now be more strictly regulated than was the case before. Proposals to improve the enforcement of, and compliance with, CITES were also adopted, as were initiatives to address the illegal trade in great apes, Asian big cats and bushmeat.

Energy Efficiency (Newcastle)

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people have benefited from the Home Energy Efficiency and Warm Front Scheme in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne since 1997.

Elliot Morley: Since the beginning of Warm Front in June 2000, approximately 2,100 households have been assisted in the constituency of Newcastle-upon-Tyne Central.
	Under the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme information was not collected on at constituency level. However it is estimated that from April 1997 to May 2000 around 5,000 households in Newcastle-upon-Tyne Central were assisted by the Scheme.

Environment Council

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the outcome was of the Environment Council on 14 October; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting records; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, represented the United Kingdom at the meeting of the Environment Council held in Luxembourg on 14 October. No Ministers from the devolved administrations were present.
	Council reached political agreement on two dossiers, involving three legal measures. Each represented a successful outcome for the UK.
	On the proposed Directive on the Management of Waste from the Extractive Industries, discussion was primarily on the scope of the proposal. Hungary wanted the requirement for a financial guarantee to extend to land surrounding a waste facility. The UK argued that such a move would be impractical, overlap unhelpfully with the Environmental Liability Directive, and place unwarranted burdens on the extractive industries. Council reached agreement by a qualified majority which included the UK, on the basis of the compromise text tabled by the Presidency for the meeting, with Austria and Hungary abstaining.
	The proposed Regulation on Certain Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases aims to make a contribution to our Kyoto Protocol target by introducing mitigation measures in relation to these gases, developed to replace the much more damaging (to the ozone layer) CFCs and HCFCs. Some of these fluorinated gases have a high global warming potential and therefore action is needed, across the EU. This measure is intended to deliver reductions in emissions equivalent to some 20 million tonnes of CO 2 per year by 2012.
	The original proposal for a Regulation has been split into two parts, with a separate Directive relating to mobile air conditioning systems (MACs) fitted to cars and car-derived vans. Both were considered at Council, and much of the discussion related to the legal base. Austria and Denmark were particularly concerned that the environmental legal base provided in Article 175 should be used for the Regulation, allowing them to maintain tighter existing standards of their own without having to notify them to the Commission. Sweden also supported this view, wishing to preserve the flexibility to go further in future. For the UK, the Secretary of State put the view, also supported by the Commission and several other member states, that a dual legal base was the best means to avoid possible undermining of the single market, while achieving important environmental gains across the EU. The Directive includes a ban on the use of fluorinated gases with high global warming potential in MACs from 2011 (new vehicle types) and 2017 (all new vehicles). Both the Regulation and the Directive had additional text added providing for a future neutral review of the Community provisions (in the Regulation and Directive) concerning global warming potential of fluorinated gases.
	Political agreement on both the Regulation and the Directive was reached by qualified majority which included the UK, with Denmark and Austria voting against, and Belgium, Sweden and Portugal abstaining.
	Council adopted Conclusions relating to the Commission's communication on flood prevention, protection and mitigation, and following on from discussions held at an informal meeting of environment Ministers in July. The Conclusions agreed to increase information sharing and co-operation in this field.
	Council also adopted Conclusions entitled 'Clean, Clever, Competitive', noting the opportunities that environmentally efficient innovation offers within the Lisbon process, and the importance of working with stakeholders to realise these opportunities.
	A third set of Conclusions, adopted without discussion in Council, related to the Commission's communication on its work on the thematic strategy on the Urban Environment. While welcoming the communication, Council urged the Commission to review the justification for some of its emerging proposals in the light of the principle of subsidiarity and current legislation and procedures in member states.
	The final set of Conclusions adopted was in preparation for the 10th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, in which Council welcomed President Putin's decision to refer the Kyoto protocol to the Russian Duma for ratification, and reaffirmed our commitment both to maintain EU leadership internationally on climate change, and to engage constructively with others.
	Council held an exchange of views on sustainable road transport, during which there was widespread support for encouraging production of cleaner and more efficient vehicles, with significant reductions in emissions of both particulates and nitrous oxide (NOx).
	There was also a lengthy exchange of views on the future financing of the Natura 2000 network of protected natural sites. Some 10 member states, with Spain and Portugal in the lead, submitted a joint statement focused on their desire to establish a system of comprehensive community co-financing for these sites. The Secretary of State spoke in support of the Commission's approach in its recent communication, which is to focus on providing for the financing of these sites through the principal existing community financial instruments where they are applicable. She also noted that the Habitats Directive which established Natura 2000 sites is clear in giving primary responsibility for financing them to member states, and stating that co-financing should be in exceptional circumstances. Overall decisions on financing would be taken in other Council formations, and our decisions must be taken in the light of those. The Presidency noted general support for the idea of integrating Natura 2000 funding into other community instruments, but that there was widespread concern to ensure that these provided sufficient coverage.
	There was a short exchange of views on the EECCA environment Ministers conference ('Kiev+1') to be held in Tblisi on 21–22 October. The Secretary of State spoke to stress the importance we put on this in taking forward delivery of the EU and UNECE's commitments from the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development.
	Under Other Business, Council noted information items on progress on the Aarhus dossiers, the forthcoming conference of the parties to the Basel Convention and the report from a German conference on impact assessment. Finally, the environment Ministers expressed their thanks to Margot Wallstrom, who was attending her last Council as Environment Commissioner.

Environmental Protection Policies/Specialists

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what mechanisms are in place to ensure policies she assesses as vital for environmental protection purposes cannot be overruled by (a) the Department for Trade and Industry and (b) the Department for Transport.

Elliot Morley: There are frequent discussions between Ministers and officials of the relevant Departments about issues with a bearing on the environment. All Departments are committed to the vision of sustainable development set out in our strategy, "A Better Quality of Life" (Cm 4345), and therefore to the appraisal of their policies for environmental, social and economic impacts.

Environmental Protection Policies/Specialists

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much of her Department's annual budget was spent on the payment of external environmental specialists in each year since June 2001.

Alun Michael: The information requested is not held centrally. Expenditure on external environmental specialists is part of the Department's expenditure on professional services. As part of its preparations for and implementation of the Gershon value for money agenda in Defra, a detailed analysis of departmental expenditure on professional services is being undertaken currently. I will place a copy of the analysis in the House of Commons Library in due course.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times during the Greek Presidency of the EU the committee (a) on implementation of the Directive establishing a Community policy regarding water, (b) for the adaptation to scientific and technical progress of the Directive on water intended for human consumption and (c) for the adaptation to technical and scientific progress of the directive on methods of measurement and frequencies of sampling and analysis of surface water intended for the abstraction of drinking water in the member states met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations the Committee produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of the Committee's recommendations; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The information is as follows:
	(a) The Committee on implementation of the Directive establishing a Community policy regarding water
	The EU Committee on the implementation of the Directive establishing a Community policy regarding water met in Brussels on 6 May 2003 during the Greek Presidency. A representative from Water Quality Division, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs attended the meeting on behalf of the UK. Issues discussed at the Committee included work priorities for 2003 and 2004, and implementation of Directive 2000/60/EC. The EU used the outcome of the meeting to take forward the Common Implementation Strategy including intercalibration. The UK used the outcome of the meeting to aid its implementation of the Directive.
	(b) The EU Committee for the adaptation to scientific and technical progress of the Directive on water intended for human consumption
	The Drinking Water Directive Management Committee met in Brussels on 8 May 2003 during the Greek Presidency. Representatives from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Drinking Water Inspectorate and an observer from the Northern Ireland Drinking Water Inspectorate were present.
	Technical issues considered included sampling and monitoring for radioactivity, lead, copper and nickel, and studies on drinking water. The outcome of the meeting was an agreed text of a draft Common Decision to amend technical Annexes to the Directive. Interim guidance for water companies issued by the Drinking Water Inspectorate already includes advice on these issues.
	(c) The Committee for the adaptation to technical and scientific progress of the Directive on methods of measurement and frequencies of sampling and analysis of surface water intended for the abstraction of drinking water in the member states
	The Committee did not meet during the Greek Presidency.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU the Scientific Review Group for the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations the Committee produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of the Committee's recommendations; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The Scientific Review Group (SRG) met twice during the period of the Greek Presidency, on 30 January 2003 and 22 May 2003, on both occasions in Brussels.
	UK representation normally comprises a representative from each of the two independent Scientific Authorities: the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (for animals), and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (for plants). Government officials do not attend these meetings. The two independent Scientific Authorities both act in relation to each of their specialisms as single voices representing the wider UK scientific perspective in meeting responsibilities to examine scientific questions relating to the application of Council Regulation 338/97. The SRG examines scientific questions relating to the application of Council Regulation 338/97 and introduction of species to the EU. The decisions of the SRG are referred to as opinions.
	The UK representatives raised the following technical issues at the meeting on 30 January 2003: application of Article 4 in relation to Pulsatrix melanota from Peru, and the inclusion of Oxyura jamaicensis on Annex B under the provisions of Article 3.2.d. At the meeting of 22 May 2003 the UK raised the following issues: Psittacus erithacus from Cote d'lvoire; Geochelone pardalis from Zambia; the Article 4.6.c Working Group, and the listing of Gonystylus spp. on Annex B to Council Regulation 338/97. No financial issues were raised by the UK at either meeting.
	The following opinions were agreed by the SRG at the respective meetings:
	30 January 2003
	Positive opinions for import of specimens from the following species/countries combinations:
	Tridacna maxima Vietnam
	Negative opinions for import of specimens of the following species/countries combinations
	Canis lupus Belarus (hunting trophies)
	Ursus arctos Slovenia (hunting trophies)
	Geochelone pardalis Uganda
	Blastomussa wellsi Indonesia
	Tridacna crocea Vietnam
	Tridacna squamosa Vietnam
	No opinion for import of specimens of the following species/countries combinations
	Panthera leo Ethiopia species.
	The SRG concluded that the Commission should consider adding the following species to Annex D of Council Regulation 338/97:
	Bird species:
	Amandava amandava
	Carduelis ambigua
	Carduelis atrata
	Cosmopsaurus regius
	Cryptospiza reichenovii
	Estrilda quartinia (often traded as Estrilda melanotis)
	Hypargos niveoguttatus
	Lonchura griseicapilla
	Lonchura punctulata
	Mino dumontii
	Pyrrhula erythaca
	Serinus canicollis
	Serinus hypostictus (often traded as Serinus citrinelloides)
	Sitta yunnanensis
	Reptile species:
	Melanochelys trijuga
	Teratoscincus microlepis
	Teratoscincus scincus
	Carettochelys insculpta
	Chinemys nigricans
	Geomyda spengleri.
	The SRG recommended that the Commission should delete the following species from Annex D:
	Casuarius bennetti
	Casuarius casuarius
	Pelecanus philippensis
	Mycteria leucocephala
	Stictonetta naevosa
	Chrysolophus amherstiae
	Chrysolophus pictus
	Tragopan temminckii
	Treron sieboldii
	Eubucco tucinkae
	Megalaima rafflesii
	Andigena cucullata
	Andigena hypoglauca
	Andigena nigrirostris
	Zoothera monticola
	Anthreptes reichenowi
	Arachnothera clarae
	Zosterops palpebrosus
	Latoucheornis siemsseni
	Tangara varia
	Pitta angolensis
	Pitta brachyura
	Pitta moluccensis
	Pitta oatesi
	Pitta sordida
	Pycnonotus jocosus
	Cinclidium frontale
	Copsychus malabaricus
	Cyanoptila cyanomelana
	Garrulax milleti
	Luscinia pectardens
	Paradoxornis heudei
	Terpsiphone atrocaudata
	Turdus mupinensis
	Lonchura nevermanni
	Euplectes jacksoni
	Sturnus sericeus
	Cissa thalassina
	Platysmurus leucopterus.
	The SRG concluded that the Commission should consider adding the following species to Annex B of Council Regulation 338/97 on the basis of Article 3.2(d):
	Oxyura jamaicensis
	Chrysemys picta.
	22 May 2003
	Negative opinions were formed for import of specimens from the following species/countries combinations:
	Balearica pavonina Guinea
	Paleosuchus trigonatus Guyana
	Ramphastos toco Paraguay
	Amazona aestiva Paraguay
	Caiman yacare Paraguay
	Psittacus erithacus Congo DR
	Acipenser schrenckii Russian Federation
	Huso dauricus Russian Federation
	Blastomussa wellsi Indonesia, Fiji
	Hydnophora microconos Indonesia
	Nemenzophyllia turbida (Plerogyra turbida) Indonesia
	Scolymia vitiensis Indonesia, Fiji
	Trachyphyllia geoffroyi Indonesia
	Hippopus hippopus Tonga, Vanuatu, Vietnam
	Tridacna crocea Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu
	Tridacna derasa Fiji, New Caledonia, Vanuatu
	Tridacna gigas Tonga, Vietnam
	Tridacna maxima F.S. of Micronesia, Fiji, Marshall Islands, Mozambique, New Caledonia, Tonga, Vanuatu, Vietnam
	Tridacna rosewateri Mozambique
	Tridacna squamosa Fiji, Mozambique, Vanuatu
	Tridacna tevoroa Tonga
	Wellsophyllia radiata Indonesia
	Goniopora lobata Indonesia—(SRG recommended that the Commission should consider an import suspension of this species under article 4.6(c) of Council Regulation 338/97)
	Catalaphyllia jardinei Fiji
	Euphyllia yaeyamaensis Fiji
	Hydnophora rigida Fiji
	Plerogyra simplex Fiji
	Plerogyra sinuosa Fiji
	Trachyphyllia geoffroyi Fiji
	Geochelone pardalis Zambia (source "F" and "R")
	Negative opinions for import of specimens of the following species/countries combinations confirmed after 3rd countries' consultation to be formalised in the Suspensions regulation:
	Poicephalus gulielmi Ivory Coast
	Trigonoceps occipitalis Ivory Coast
	Phelsuma dubia Comores
	Phelsuma laticauda Comores
	Psittacus erithacus Guinea
	Agapornis pullarius Guinea
	Phelsuma comorensis Comores
	Phelsuma v-nigra Comores
	Hippopotamus amphibius Togo
	Negative opinions changed to positive:
	Guaiacum sanctum Mexico (this opinion only applies to applications relating to already felled stocks)
	Positive opinions:
	Corythaeola cristata Congo
	Psittacus erithacus erithacus Ivory Coast
	Psittacus erithacus timneh Ivory Coast
	Positive opinions changed to negative:
	Chamaeleo senegalensis Togo (source "W" and "R")
	No opinion for import of specimens of the following species/countries combinations
	Tridacna derasa Papua New Guinea (Any application to be brought to the Group)
	Tridacna maxima Papua New Guinea
	Tridacna squamosa Papua New Guinea
	Tridacna gigas Papua New Guinea
	Tridacna tevoroa Papua New Guinea
	With reference to Testudo graeca terrestris, member states are requested to refer any import applications from Lebanon for captive bred or ranched reptile species (source "F", "R" or "C") back to the SRG.
	All import applications for Leucocephalon yuwonoi from Indonesia are to be considered by the SRG.
	The SRG decided to maintain the positive opinion on the hunting trophies of Ursos arctos from British Columbia subject to evidence of adequate progress with the implementation of the recommendations made by the BC Government's second Independent Scientific Panel in time for the 2004 hunting season.
	The SRG concluded that the Commission should consider deleting the following reptile species from Annex D of Council Regulation 338/97:
	Geckolepis maculate
	Acanthosaura armata
	Zonosaurus laticaudatus
	Zonosaurus madagascariensis
	Tiliqua gerrardii
	Tiliqua gigas.
	The SRG requested the Commission to list Harpagophytum spp on Annex D of Council Regulation 338/97.
	Action of the European Commission and UK Government
	As a result of the opinions taken, negative opinions for several species were formalised (as recommended above) by the European Commission by their inclusion in Commission Regulation 776/2004 of 26 April 2004 suspending the introduction into the Community of specimens of certain species of wild fauna and flora.
	Changes to the Annexes of Regulation 338/97 were made by the European Commission (in line with recommendations above) through Commission Regulation (EC) No 1497/2003 subsequently superseded by Commission Regulation (EC) 834/2004 amending Council Regulation 338/97 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein.
	The UK Government approved these changes and implements the recommendations of the Scientific Review Group by taking account of this advice when considering applications for import permits for any of the species/country combinations referred to above.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times during the Greek Presidency of the EU the committee (a) for the adaptation to technical and scientific progress and implementation of the Directive on urban waste-water treatment and (b) protection of water against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations the Committee produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of the Committee's recommendations; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The information is as follows:
	(a) The Committee for the adaptation to technical and scientific progress and implementation of the Directive on urban waste-water treatment
	There was no technical and adaptive Committee of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive held during the Greek Presidency.
	(b) The Committee for the adaptation to technical and scientific progress and implementation of the Directive for the protection of water against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources
	The technical and adaptive Committee for the Nitrates Directive met in Brussels on one occasion during the Greek Presidency on 27 March 2003. Representatives from the Scottish Executive and Water Quality Division, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs were present at the meeting on behalf of the UK.
	Issues discussed at the Committee included grassland fertilisation and nitrates, potential techniques for tracing the origin of nitrate, draft monitoring guidelines for groundwater and surface waters, and the linkages between good farming practice and support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund.
	The EU proposed to use the outcomes of the meeting to advise its consideration of member states' requests for a grassland derogation, and to further develop the draft monitoring guidelines. The EU requested written comments on each item discussed. The UK Government provided written comments as requested.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU the Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of the directive on (a) bathing water and (b) the quality of fresh water needing protection or improvement in order to support fish life met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations the Committee produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of the Committee's recommendations; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The information is as follows:
	(a) The Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of the directive on bathing water
	This Committee did not meet during the Greek presidency. Therefore neither the question of current UK representation on the Committee nor that of actions proposed or taken as consequences of Committee recommendations arose.
	(b) The Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of the directive on the quality of fresh water needing protection or improvement in order to support fish life
	This Committee did not meet during the Greek presidency. Therefore neither the question of current UK representation on the Committee, nor that of actions proposed or taken as consequences of Committee recommendations arose.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times during the Greek Presidency of the EU the Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of the decision establishing a common procedure for the exchange of information on the quality of surface fresh water in the Community met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (a) technical and (b) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations the Committee produced during that period; what actions were (i) proposed and (ii) taken by (A) the EU and (B) the UK Government as a result of the Committee's recommendations; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: This Committee did not meet during the Greek presidency and has not met for more than seven years. Therefore, during this time, neither the question of current UK representation on the Committee nor that of actions proposed or taken as consequences of Committee recommendations has arisen.

Falconry

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions the Department has held with non-governmental organisations in respect of falconry.

Elliot Morley: Discussions concerning falconry occur with English Nature on a case-by-case basis, prior to, and throughout the open season. The most recent discussions took place this October.

Falconry

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has held with the Joint Nature Conservation Committee on falconry.

Elliot Morley: Defra officials liaise with the JNCC on a daily basis, as they are the UK's scientific advisors on fauna.
	However, JNCC advice on falconry matters is generally related to the trade in the falcon species concerned. Advice on other falconry matters is provided by English Nature.

Falconry

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the Government's policy on falconry; and what assessment has been made of the effects of falconry on conservation.

Elliot Morley: The use of birds of prey for the purposes of falconry against protected species is permitted under various legislation.
	All wild birds in Britain are protected by the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act, but the Act does enable the issue of licences to take small numbers of birds for various purposes including falconry. The Department consults fully with its statutory scientific advisers before any licences are issued, on the species, and number of each species, that falconers should be permitted to hunt each season. These procedures ensure that the number of birds allowed to be killed by falconers is limited strictly to small numbers and only to species whose populations can sustain such slight losses.
	English Nature monitors the population numbers of various species. The small number of birds taken under licences granted under section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 does not affect the conservation status of the species concerned.

Fallen Stock

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list postcodes in which there is no coverage for the collection of fallen stock under the Animal By-Products Regulation.

Ben Bradshaw: Although information regarding the location of Animal By-Product Regulation approved premises is available (such as those which collect fallen stock), the Department does not record the extent of the areas in which they operate.
	However, as part of the tender process for collectors for the National Fallen Stock Scheme the National Fallen Stock Company requested information from collectors about the geographical area in which they intend to operate. The information provided indicates that the scheme should have full nationwide coverage, other than for those areas where no service was either expected and/or required i.e. remote areas and urban conurbations.
	This does not necessarily mean that those areas, which are not covered by the scheme, have no fallen stock service. There may be collectors in those areas which have chosen not to participate in the scheme.

Fallen Stock

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when it is expected that the subsidy provided for farmers to dispose of fallen stock will be discontinued; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The Government are making available £20 million over the first three years of the National Fallen Stock Scheme.

Fisheries

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the likely changes in United Kingdom fisheries management which will result from the introduction of the Community Fisheries Control Agency.

Ben Bradshaw: The proposals for creation of a Community Fisheries Control Agency are still subject to negotiation. However, they will not alter the responsibilities of the United Kingdom or other member states to ensure effective policing of fisheries activity: we will want to be satisfied that the final regulation is compatible with our national arrangements.
	The creation of an agency is intended to assist in, for example, joint planning for the deployment of inspection resources. This might involve member states contributing resources to agreed monitoring programmes for specific fisheries. In many respects this would be little different from ad hoc arrangements for joint working in which the UK has participated over recent years.

Flood Defence/Management

Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the flood defence projects started since May 1997 in England; and what the cost of each was to the Department.

Elliot Morley: Defra provides grant aid to the flood and coastal defence operating authorities to support their improvement projects (works and related studies) to reduce flood risk. These improvement projects must meet specified criteria and an appropriate priority score to attract Defra funding but decisions regarding which projects to promote and their timing rest with these authorities. The principal operating authority for flood risk is the Environment Agency but local authorities and, in areas with special drainage needs, internal drainage boards also carry out works on a much smaller scale overall.
	I will be placing in the House Library a list of flood defence (including flood warning) projects approved for Defra grant aid, which have started since 1 May 1997.
	The approved cost for each project is shown—an estimated £840 million in total. For local authorities and drainage boards, and for the Environment Agency up until March 2004, Defra grant-aided these projects at rates of between 15 per cent. and 80 per cent. of the approved cost with the balance being met by a variety of funding streams according to the type of body. From April 2004, Defra has grant-aided the full cost of Environment Agency projects.
	Projects carried out by local authorities to reduce risk of coastal erosion often also have significant flood defence benefits but I have not included these projects in the list.

Flood Defence/Management

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) flood warning and (b) post-flood management systems are in place in the Wiltshire section of the Hampshire Avon catchment; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The Government are committed to ensuring a seamless, integrated and continuous service of flood forecasting, warning and response delivered by the Environment Agency. Defra has recently approved the Agency's new £226 million flood warning strategy.
	For Wiltshire, the Agency's regional flood forecasting and monitoring team in Exeter works with the Meteorological Office to provide the Flood Warning team at Blandford with information on weather conditions. The Blandford team considers this against the condition of the catchment and monitored river levels. When river trigger levels are exceeded, warnings are sent from Agency area office to the media, civil authorities, emergency services and those at risk of flooding who have chosen to be on the Agency's Automated Voice Messaging (AVM) system. The Agency has also written to those identified from flood maps as being at risk of flooding. Both the maps and those on the AVM are reviewed regularly taking account of any new information.
	Due to the characteristics of the chalk geology in the Salisbury catchment, groundwater can be a source of flooding and the Agency aims to provide an accessible, self-help groundwater flood warning service to all of the affected local parishes.
	The Agency has a comprehensive post-flood management system which reviews their response to events, the impact and sources of flooding. The Agency addresses issues within its responsibility and provides review information to all responsible organisations as a starting point for future work. Solutions, such as improvements to flood warning, enforcement, development control, maintenance of main rivers, improvement works and possible new defences, are prioritised within the Agency's work programmes.

Flood Defence/Management

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans are in place to help areas, which suffer from flooding during the next year.

Elliot Morley: Local authorities and emergency services have contingency plans in place to cope with the range of emergencies in their areas, including flooding. These plans operate alongside those of the Environment Agency who provide flood warnings to both the public, local authorities and other emergency services. The Environment Agency and the other operating authorities also monitor stretches of watercourses when flooding is likely. Should national level response be required, Defra maintains contingency arrangements in a Lead Department Plan for flooding from rivers or the sea, which foresees coordination of the central Government response, including by Cabinet Office.
	Local authorities are also responsible for responding to the effects of flooding. In addition, where applicable, the Bellwin Scheme is available to local authorities as a means of obtaining financial assistance in clearing up and recovery immediately after a local disaster or emergency. This scheme is administered by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Fly Tipping

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on police duties in respect of fly tipping.

Elliot Morley: The Environment Agency and local authorities are currently responsible for preventing, detecting and enforcing offences involving the illegal disposal of waste, or fly tipping. Under a voluntary agreement between the Agency and the Local Government Association, the Agency deals with fly tips of large amounts or hazardous waste and local authorities deal with smaller, local incidents of mainly household waste. The police have no formal duties with respect to fly tipping, although they do sometimes participate in joint investigations of offenders, for example, where organised crime is involved. The police are also frequently involved in stop and search operations as only a police constable in uniform is empowered to stop a vehicle on a road.

Foot and Mouth

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what steps she is taking to establish the original source of the 2001 foot and mouth epidemic;
	(2)  if she will hold a further public inquiry into the sources and cause of the 2001 foot and mouth disease epidemic.

Ben Bradshaw: Defra considers that the origin of the FMD outbreaks in 2001 was the unprocessed waste food fed to pigs on Burnside Farm run by Robert Waugh and he was convicted of this offence. The Lessons to be Learned Inquiry carried out by Dr. Iain Anderson supported this conclusion, which was based on a thorough epidemiological investigation. The Origins of FMD report submitted by Defra to the inquiry was based on wide-ranging evidence and rigorous investigation and was published by Dr. Anderson. There is no new evidence that indicates that the disease was present anywhere else earlier than at Burnside Farm.

Foot and Mouth

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the reports from James Dring that some of the evidence of foot and mouth disease discovered on Burnside Farm constituted old lesions.

Ben Bradshaw: Mr. Dring, accompanied by an Animal Health Officer, visited the farm on 22 February 2001, as part of the investigation into the cause of the outbreak in Essex and saw the presence of FMD, clearly well established with old lesions in many pigs. Disease was confirmed on these premises on 23 February 2001. On 24 February the experts' opinion was that some pigs had 12 day-old lesions. This implies that disease was probably present on 12 February 2001 and with an incubation period of two-14 days it could have been present from as early as 29 January 2001.
	Jim Dring's previous visit before 22 February was on 24 January, on which date he closely inspected the herd and found no visible signs of FMD.
	This is all set out in the report on the Origins of FMD submitted to and published by Dr. Anderson.

Foot and Mouth

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what tests were made on the dead sheep shown in the Burnside Farm video taken by trading standards officials on 24 February 2001 to determine their cause of death; and what the results were of those tests.

Ben Bradshaw: Defra found no dead sheep on Burnside Farm either on 24 February or on any other date in 2001.

Foot and Mouth

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what criteria were used by (a) the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and (b) her Department when deciding which documents and evidence should be made available to Dr. Iain Anderson for the inquiry he chaired into the 2001 foot and mouth disease outbreak.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department's approach was that Dr. Anderson's inquiry should be granted access to all relevant papers.

Foot and Mouth

Angela Browning: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farmers have been asked to sign the Official Secrets Act 1989 in respect of matters connected with the 2001 foot and mouth disease outbreak.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 11 November 2004
	To the best of our knowledge no farmers were asked to sign the Official Secrets Act in connection with the 2001 foot and mouth outbreak.
	However, farmers undertaking a range of services on behalf of the Department, such as the provision of secondary cleansing and disinfection (C&D), may have been asked to sign a contract based on the Department's standard terms and conditions at the time, which included reference to the Official Secrets Act.
	Due to concerns over the applicability of such clauses, contracts for farmers undertaking C&D on their own premises were subsequently amended to remove any reference to the Official Secrets Act.

Foot and Mouth

Angela Browning: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the foot and mouth disease virus was in the national sheep flock prior to 20 February 2001.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 11 November 2004
	A group of 26 sheep at Prestwick Hall Farm, Pontiland, Northumberland are believed to be the first sheep in the national flock to have become infected with foot and mouth disease in the 2001 epidemic. They most likely became infected sometime between the 2 and 14 February 2001 as a result of windborne spread from diseased pigs at Burnside Farm. There is no evidence of FMD predating the outbreak at Burnside Farm in the vicinity of the farm or on the premises that supplied it with pigs, or for that matter, anywhere in the UK.

Fuel Poverty

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures her Department has assessed as the most effective in addressing fuel poverty in homes in tower blocks.

Elliot Morley: There is no single solution to tackle such properties, which can prove challenging due to structural issues. We continue to explore the most effective solution for individual households and community solutions such as providing district heating with combined heat and power.

Fuel Poverty

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the reasons are for the delay in publishing the Fuel Poverty Implementation Plan; and when it will be published.

Elliot Morley: The final version of the Fuel Poverty Plan will be published before the end of the year. A decision was taken to delay publication until announcements on fuel poverty spending as part of the Spending Review 2004.

Glass Industry (Emissions Limits)

Eric Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the emission levels permitted under Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control regulations are for newly constructed glass factories.

Elliot Morley: New glass factories which are listed for control under the Pollution Prevention and Control (England and Wales) Regulations are subject to two general principles. That they should be operated in such a way that all appropriate measures are taken against pollution, in particular through application of the best available techniques, and that no significant pollution is caused. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has issued statutory guidance to assist local authority regulators in determining what those measures should be, which can be found at www.defra.gov.uk/environment/ppc/laippc/laippc.htm
	Table 3 in the document contains guidance on emission limits, including limit values for nitrogen oxides (annual average 500mg/m3—milligrams per cubic metre—daily average 700mg/m3) and particulate matter (30mg/m3). The guidance was drawn up in consultation with a technical working group, comprising among others representatives of the trade association (British Glass), and of various glass-making firms (Pilkingtons, Rockware and United Glass).

Glass Industry (Emissions Limits)

Eric Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the cost to the glass container industry of new emission limits applicable from January 2005;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the increased cost of energy to the glass container industry as a consequence of new emissions limits.

Elliot Morley: The limit values contained in the guidance referred to in answer to PQ UIN 197005 are derived from the Best Available Techniques Reference document produced by the European Commission's 'European Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Bureau', which can be found at: http://eippcb.jrc.es/pages/FActivities.htm This document, which contains a review of costs and energy impacts, includes emission limit values similar to those contained in the guidance we published: for example, the BAT emission level associated with specified techniques is given as between 5 and 30mg/m3 (milligrams per cubic metre) and that for nitrogen oxides as 500–70mg/m3. As regards energy, it states on page 134 that the use of an electrostatic precipitator to tackle particulate matter emissions involves an increase in energy consumption, but the increase is low in relation to the consumption of the glass furnace (less than 1 per cent.).

Greyhound Racing

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reasons the regulations for greyhound racing in the draft Animal Welfare Bill are not proposed to be brought in until 2010.

Ben Bradshaw: No final decision has been taken concerning the date when I anticipate introducing regulations for greyhound racing. I am currently consulting the industry on the extent and timing of proposed internal reforms. I will review the proposed regulation under the Bill in the light of the response from the industry.
	The duty of care (welfare) and cruelty provision of the draft Bill will apply to greyhounds irrespective of the timing of secondary legislation on regulations.

Green Ministers

John Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many Green Ministers her Department and its predecessors has had since 1997.

Elliot Morley: Defra was created in June 2001 from the then Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) and from the environmental and countryside business areas of the then Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR).
	There have been two Green Ministers in Defra since its formation and there were two Green Ministers from 1997 in both the DETR and MAFF as detailed in the table:
	
		
			 Department Green Ministers 
		
		
			 MAFF Jeff Rooker, Elliot Morley 
			 DETR Glenda Jackson, Beverley Hughes 
			 Defra (since 2001) Alun Michael, Lord Whitty

Hazardous Waste (Substitute Fuels)

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the safety of burning hazardous waste in cement kilns.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 8 November 2004
	Cement kilns in England and Wales are regulated for environmental purposes by the Environment Agency under the Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) system. Cement kilns that burn hazardous waste are subject to additional regulatory controls under the Hazardous Waste Incineration Directive and the new Waste Incineration Directive. Any PPC permit granted by the Agency includes conditions designed to ensure that the installation is operated in such a way that all the appropriate preventative measures are taken against pollution, in particular through the application of the best available techniques, and that no significant pollution is caused.
	The Environment Agency's Substitute Fuels Protocol, originally published in 1999, sets out detailed consultation requirements for PPC permit applications by cement kiln operators wishing to use waste as substitute fuels. It also sets out detailed monitoring requirements and controls on the constituents of the substitute fuel.
	The Environment Agency recently conducted a three-month public consultation on proposed revisions to the Substitute Fuels Protocol. The outcome was discussed at a meeting of the Environment Agency Board on 13 October and the Agency issued a News Release on the matter on 15 October.

Hazardous Waste (Substitute Fuels)

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list hazardous wastes that will newly qualify as substitute fuels for use in cement kilns following the changes to the Substitute Fuels Protocol approved by the Board of the Environment Agency on 13 October; and if she will list for each emissions level whether the listed wastes were disposed of in (a) cement kilns and (b) high temperature incinerators designed for hazardous waste disposal.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 8 November 2004
	Under the revised Substitute Fuels Protocol, the Environment Agency will no longer exclude pentachlorophenol or wastes derived from the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, biocides, pesticides and explosives from being incorporated into substitute fuel. In addition, any new waste, including hazardous waste, proposed as a substitute fuel in cement kilns will have to comply with the following criteria:
	(i) the main purpose of its use is the generation of heat;
	(ii) the amount of heat generated, recovered and effectively used is greater than the amount of heat consumed in its use; and
	(iii) the principal use of the waste is as fuel.
	Given that the Agency's Board has only recently made its decision, the revised policy has not yet had an impact on the quantity of hazardous wastes recovered as fuel in cement kilns.
	At present emission limit values for cement kilns that burn hazardous waste are calculated in accordance with a formula given in Annex II of Council Directive 94/67/EC of 16 December 1994 on the incineration of hazardous waste . The formula ensures that the fraction of gas produced by the incineration of hazardous waste in a cement kiln has the same emission limit values applied to it as it would have done had it been incinerated in a merchant waste incinerator. These emission limits are given in Article 7 of that Directive. However, the final emission limit values for a cement kiln also take into account the concentration of pollutants derived from the combustion of conventional fuels (e.g. coal, petroleum coke) and raw materials (e.g. limestone, clay) in the cement kiln.
	From 28 December 2005, Directive 94/67/EC will be superseded by Directive 2000/76/EC on the incineration of waste. Emission limit values for cement kilns burning hazardous waste will, as a minimum, be set according to Annex II of that Directive.

Hazardous Waste (Substitute Fuels)

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the application of recent European Court of Justice judgements on trans-frontier shipment of wastes and criteria for waste recovery with regard to minimum calorific values for wastes that are incinerated as substitute fuels.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 8 November 2004
	Judgments by the European Court of Justice are binding on Member States and their "competent authorities". Recent judgments which impact on the transfrontier shipment of wastes and the classification of operations as recovery or disposal under waste legislation include the following cases: C-6/00, C-228/00, C-458/00 and C-116/01. In relation to the criteria to determine recovery or disposal status, the Court ruled in case C-116/01 that:
	"The calorific value of waste which is to be combusted is not a relevant criterion for the purpose of determining whether that operation constitutes a disposal operation as referred to in point D10 of Annex MA to Directive 75/442, as amended . . . or a recovery operation as referred to in point R1 of Annex MB thereof. Member States may establish distinguishing criteria for that purpose provided that those criteria comply with those laid down in the Directive."
	The Environment Agency are in the process of revising the substitute fuels protocol which will take account of the recent ECJ cases.

Hydrofluorocarbons

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her policy on HFC emissions remains as set out in paragraph 19, Section Two, Chapter One of Climate Change—the UK Programme, of November 2000.

Elliot Morley: Yes, HFCs should only be used where other safe, technically feasible, cost effective and more environmentally acceptable alternatives do not exist.
	Good progress has been made in developing effective measures to reduce HFC emissions. Political agreement to an EC Regulation on certain fluorinated greenhouse gases, and a Directive amending Existing Vehicle Type Approval in relation to Mobile Air Conditioning (MAC) in cars was reached in October 2004.
	The Regulation includes measures on: containment through responsible handling during use, recycling and end-of-life recovery; reporting on quantities produced, supplied, used and emitted; certain application specific bans on use and placing on the market. The Directive includes a ban on the use of fluorinated gases with high Global Warming Potential (GWP) in MACs from 2011 (new vehicle types), and 2017 (all new vehicles).

Hydrofluorocarbons

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the estimated volume of emissions of hydrofluorocarbons has been in each year since 1990; and what projections she has made for future years.

Elliot Morley: This information is provided in the following table:
	
		Total UK emissions of HFC, RFC and SF 6 (ktonnes CO 2  equivalent)
		
			  HFC PFC SF 6 Total 
		
		
			 1990 11,375 1,394 1,082 13,851 
			 1995 15,491 457 1,291 17,240 
			 2000 9,081 541 1,852 11,475 
			 2005 11,200 327 1,715 13,242 
			 2010 9,912 267 1,300 11,480 
			 2015 9,637 292 1,265 11,194 
			 2020 9,072 314 1,262 10,648 
			 2025 8,755 337 1,277 10,369 
		
	
	These figures are based on an AEA Technology report, Emissions and Projections of HFCs, PFCs and SF 6 in the UK and constituent countries 2nd Edition, June 2004. Defra has also commissioned from AEA a general review of any new information that may significantly affect the projected emissions for HFC, PFC and SF 6 to 2025.

Hydrofluorocarbons

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the phase-out of hydrofluorocarbons.

Elliot Morley: The UK policy on hydrofluorocarbons is set out in chapter one of "Climate Change, the UK Programme" ( November 2000).
	In addition, political agreement to an EC Regulation on certain fluorinated greenhouse gases, and a Directive amending Existing Vehicle Type Approval in relation to Mobile Air Conditioning (MAC) in cars was reached in October 2004.
	The Regulation introduces provisions for: containment through responsible handling during use, recycling and end-of-life recovery; reporting on quantities produced, supplied, used and emitted; and certain application specific bans on use and placing on the market.
	The Directive will amend existing Vehicle Type Approval legislation in relation to Mobile-Air-Conditioning (MACs) in cars (and car derived vans). The proposal includes a ban on the use of fluorinated gases with a high Global Warming Potential in MACs from 2011 (new vehicle types), and 2017 (all new vehicles).

Hydrofluorocarbons

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to discourage the fitting of hydrofluorocarbons in (a) domestic refrigeration and (b) air conditioning.

Elliot Morley: Hydrofluorocarbon technology in domestic refrigerators has already largely been phased out in the EU. All major UK manufacturers of domestic refrigerators now use hydrocarbon based refrigerants. A small amount of imported domestic refrigeration equipment uses hydrofluorocarbons.
	Political agreement to an EC Regulation on certain fluorinated greenhouse gases, and a Directive amending Existing Vehicle Type Approval in relation to Mobile Air Conditioning (MAC) in cars was reached in October 2004.
	The Regulation includes provisions for: containment through responsible handling during use, recycling and end-of-life recovery; reporting on quantities produced, supplied, used and emitted; and certain application specific bans on use and placing on the market. This requirement will cover the commercial refrigeration and air conditioning sectors.
	The Directive will amend existing Vehicle Type Approval legislation in relation to Mobile Air Conditioning (MACs) in cars (and car derived vans). This proposal includes a ban on the use of fluorinated gases with high a Global Warming Potential in MACs from 2011 (new vehicle types), and 2017 (all new vehicles).

Incineration

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effects of an increase in waste incineration upon the environment.

Elliot Morley: In May 2004 Defra published a Review of the Environmental and Health Effects of Waste Management which brings together the available evidence of the health and environmental effects of the main types of waste management facility.
	The review concluded that incineration, along with landfill, is the waste disposal option with the greatest potential for environmental effects. Compared with other waste management technologies, it produces the largest emissions of oxides of nitrogen and hydrogen chloride per tonne of municipal solid waste. However the potential negative effects, such as dust, poor air quality and effects on flora/fauna, soils and water quality can be controlled under normal operating conditions.
	The present generation of incinerators release much smaller amounts of dioxin that was the case five or 10 years ago and the report noted that less than 1 per cent. of emissions of oxides of nitrogen, which reduce air quality, come from municipal solid waste management, while 42 per cent. come from road traffic.
	Incinerators are normally operated with energy recovery, resulting in the generation of electricity, which can reduce the need to generate electricity from other sources. Any increase in the overall environmental burden caused by emissions from new incinerators should be set against both the reduction in the requirement for electricity to be generated elsewhere and the reduction of emissions to air and groundwater from the waste being deposited in landfills.

Incineration

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment the Government have made of the benefits of waste incinerators.

Elliot Morley: The principal benefits of incineration are reduction in the volume of waste landfilled, the generation of electricity or heat from combustion and the production of ash which can be recovered as a construction material.
	The Review of the Environmental and Health Effects of Waste Management enables comparison of the environmental effects of all waste management options including incineration and landfill. It also sets out the energy generated by incinerators and the reduction in the requirement for electricity to be generated elsewhere.

Industrial Fisheries

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to improve management of industrial fisheries within UK waters.

Ben Bradshaw: Industrial fisheries are managed under the Common Fisheries Policy. In the light of recent scientific advice that Norway Pout and sandeels in the North Sea are outside safe limits, the UK will support measures to recover these stocks at the December Fisheries Council.

Landfill

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Government's policy is on the use of landfill sites for the disposal of waste.

Elliot Morley: The Government are committed to reducing the UK's reliance on landfill for the disposal of waste, in order to reduce its environmental impact and because landfilling is a missed opportunity to recover value from waste. This is part of the UK's commitment to more sustainable waste management in line with the objectives and policies set out in Waste Strategy 2000.

Landfill

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many new waste facilities she estimates will be required in the UK to fulfil the requirements of the EU landfill directive.

Elliot Morley: The Strategy Unit Report, "Waste not, Want not", quotes from the Ernst and Young Local Authority Waste Management Survey, 2001. It says that "Ernst and Young have estimated that additional investment of £600–700 million per annum over the next 10 years will be required to reduce the volume of waste sent to landfill, sufficient to meet the Article 5 targets of the EU landfill directive."
	The exact number of facilities will depend on the size and mix of facilities chosen by each local authority.
	Estimates on available capacity of existing hazardous waste treatment infrastructure were prepared for the Hazardous Waste Forum in September 2003 and posted on the forum's website: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/hazforum/031021/enviros.pdf
	The forum continues to keep this information under review as it becomes aware of changes to waste industry plans.

Landfill

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many new waste disposal facilities will be required in the UK by 2010 to fulfil the requirements of the EU landfill directive.

Elliot Morley: The Strategy Unit Report, "Waste not, Want not", quotes from the Ernst and Young Local Authority Waste Management Survey, 2001. It says that
	"Ernst and Young have estimated that additional investment of £600–700 million per annum over the next 10 years will be required to reduce the volume of waste sent to landfill, sufficient to meet the Article 5 targets of the EU landfill directive."
	The exact number of facilities will depend on the size and mix of facilities chosen by each local authority.

Landfill

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the landfill sites in the Greater London area that are able to accept hazardous waste.

Elliot Morley: There are no landfill sites in the Greater London area that are licensed/permitted to accept hazardous waste. The names and locations of all hazardous waste landfills are available on the Environment Agency website (www.environment-agency.gov.uk).

LFA Support Scheme

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been paid out under the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme in each county in England in 2003–04; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: The figures for payments under the Hill Farm Allowance in 2004, by counties in England, are listed in the following table:
	
		
			 County Amount paid (£) 
		
		
			 Avon 0.00 
			 Bedfordshire 0.00 
			 Berkshire 0.00 
			 Buckinghamshire 0.00 
			 Cambridgeshire 1,211.96 
			 Cheshire 317,183.33 
			 Cleveland 59,745.22 
			 Cornwall 862,476.25 
			 Cumbria 7,842,506.03 
			 Derbyshire 1,826,631.70 
			 Devonshire 3,156,434.11 
			 Dorset 0.00 
			 Durham 2,221,647.96 
			 East Sussex 0.00 
			 Essex 0.00 
			 Gloucestershire 0.00 
			 Greater London (ER) 0.00 
			 Greater London (SER) 0.00 
			 Greater Manchester 271,437.07 
			 Hampshire 24,028.20 
			 Hereford and Worcester 637,817.91 
			 Hertfordshire 0.00 
			 Humberside 11,690.22 
			 Isle of Wight 0.00 
			 Kent 0.00 
			 Lancashire 2,109,409.80 
			 Leicestershire 0.00 
			 Lincolnshire 0.00 
			 Merseyside 0.00 
			 Norfolk 0.00 
			 North Yorkshire (N) 5,986,107.08 
			 North Yorkshire (S) 6,648.12 
			 Northamptonshire 0.00 
			 Northumberland 4,888,666.49 
			 Nottinghamshire 7,436.61 
			 Oxfordshire 0.00 
			 Scilly Isles 2,154.30 
			 Shropshire 1,341,014.14 
			 Somerset 1,114,547.63 
			 South Yorkshire 278,073.24 
			 Staffordshire 547,001.18 
			 Suffolk 0.00 
			 Surrey 0.00 
			 Tyne and Wear 42,042.53 
			 Warwickshire 0.00 
			 West Midlands 0.00 
			 West Sussex 0.00 
			 West Yorkshire 957,773.40 
			 Wiltshire 0.00

Livestock Auction Markets

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which livestock auction markets (a) operated in 1997, (b) operated before the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001 and (c) operate now.

Ben Bradshaw: The list of livestock auction markets operating in 1997 is not readily available. However, based on information provided by the Livestock Auctioneers Association the lists of livestock auction markets for England and Wales which operate currently and the closures between 1997 and 2001 and those closed since 2001 are as follows:
	Currently operational—England
	Acklington
	Andoversford
	Ashford
	Axminster
	Bakewell
	Barnard Castle
	Beeston
	Bellingham
	Bentham
	Bideford
	Bishop's Castle
	Blackmoor Gate
	Bridgnorth
	Bristol
	Broughton-in-Furness
	Carlisle
	Chagford
	Chelford
	Chippenham
	Cirencester .
	Claughton-on-Brock
	Clitheroe
	Cockermouth
	Colchester
	Cutcombe
	Darlington
	Derby
	Exeter
	Frome
	Gisburn
	Hailsham
	Hallworthy
	Hatherleigh
	Hawes
	Hereford
	Hexham
	Highbridge
	Holsworthy
	Honiton
	Hull
	Kendal
	Kington
	Kirkby Stephen
	Kirkby Thore
	Lancaster
	Lazonby
	Leek
	Liskeard
	Leyburn
	Leominster
	Longtown
	Louth
	Ludlow
	Maidstone
	Malton
	Market Drayton
	Market Harborough
	Masham
	Melton Mowbray
	Middleton-in-Teesdale
	Newark
	Newton Abbot
	Northallerton
	Norwich
	Oswestry
	Otley (Wharfedale)
	Ponteland
	Rothbury
	Ross-on-Wye
	Reading
	Rugby
	Ruswarp, Nr. Whitby
	Penrith, Cumbria
	St. Johns Chapel
	Salisbury
	Scots Gap, Morpeth
	Sedbergh
	Selby
	Shaftesbury
	Shrewsbury
	Skipton
	South Molton
	Stratford-upon-Avon
	Taunton
	Tavistock
	Tenbury Wells
	Thame
	Thirsk
	Thrapston
	Tow Law
	Truro
	Ulverston
	Uttoxeter
	Wigton
	Winslow
	Three Horses
	Wooler
	Worcester
	Yeovil
	York
	Currently operational—Wales
	Abergavenny
	Aberystwyth
	Bala
	Brecon
	Bryncir
	Buiith Wells
	Cardigan
	Carmarthen
	Corwen
	Cowbridge
	Crymmych
	Dolgellau
	Gaerwen
	Haverfordwest
	Hay-on-Wye
	Knighton
	Lampeter
	Llandeilo
	Llandovery
	Llandysul
	Llanrwst
	Llanybydder
	Machynlleth
	Mold
	Neath
	Newcastle
	Newport
	Newtown
	Penybont
	Rhayader
	Emlyn Ruthin
	Sarn
	St. Asaph
	Sennybridge
	Synod Inn
	Talgarth
	Talybont-on-Usk
	Tregaron
	Welshpool
	Whitland
	Royal Welsh Show Ground
	Closures between 1997–2001
	England
	Ashbourne
	Ashburton
	Banbury
	Beccles
	Beverley
	Bridgewater
	Cambourne
	Canterbury
	Chelmsford
	Crewe
	Goole
	Guildford
	Haslingden
	Hellifield
	Kidderminster
	Kingsbridge
	Lichfield
	Newport (Salop)
	Oakham
	Otley
	Penkridge
	Penzance
	Plympton
	Sevenoaks
	Sturminster
	Tetbury
	Wadebridge
	Wetherby
	Wickham
	Wales
	Llangefni
	Llanidloes
	Llangadog
	Closures since 2001
	England
	Avon
	Barnstaple
	Bishop Auckland
	Brickfields
	Bury St. Edmunds
	Chester
	Congleton
	Corby Glen
	Craven Arms
	Driffield
	Gloucester
	Grantham
	Helston
	Hope
	Ledbury
	Northampton
	Penistone
	Preston
	Ripon
	Rye
	Stamford
	Stokesley
	St. Austell
	Rothbury
	Stamford
	Wales
	Blackmill
	Gowerton
	Kinnerton
	Llanfair Caereinion
	Llanwrtyd Wells
	Monmouth
	Pembroke
	Source:
	Livestock Auctioneers Association, 5 November 2004

Milk (Farmgate Prices)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the farmgate price of milk in Lancashire was at the most recent date for which information is available.

Alun Michael: The average price for milk delivered in August 2004 (the most recent month for which figures are available) is 18.43 pence per litre. This figure is for the whole of the UK as we do not hold milk price information for specific areas of the UK.

Nappies

David Curry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the tonnage of disposable nappies used in England in each of the last five years; and whether disposable nappies will be eligible to be disposed of in landfill sites when EU restrictions on landfill use are introduced.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 8 November 2004
	Defra does not collect information on the amount of disposable nappies used.
	The Strategy Unit report, "Waste Not Want Not", estimated that in 2000–01 nappies comprised around 2 per cent. of household waste, equivalent to 350,000 tonnes.
	Nappies are considered to be bio-degradable waste so can still be disposed of in landfill. The Landfill Directive requires progressive reductions in the amount of biodegradable municipal waste landfilled until 2020—in the UK.

New Forest

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact on (a) commoning in the New Forest and (b) the character and landscape of the New Forest of the single farm payment regime; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: In discussing how best to apply the new single payment scheme on commons, we have been mindful of the effects on commoning and environmental effects in general and on the specific situation of the New Forest.

New Forest

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what account she plans to take of the inspector's recommendation for specific safeguards for verderers when she publishes her circular on the New Forest National Park; and whether this circular will be published before the park authority begins work;
	(2)  when she will publish a circular specific to the New Forest National Park in accordance with the recommendations of the inspector's report; whether the guidance in the circular will inform the process by which appointments are made to the park authority; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: I intend to write to the New Forest National Park Authority, giving guidance on the way it might approach its responsibilities in good time for the formal commencement of its role in April. My letter will be made public and will be and sent to local organisations.
	Local authorities and parish council nominations will be sought shortly, while the recruitment process for Secretary of State members of the Authority is already under way.

Night Flights

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions (a) she and (b) her Department has held with counterparts overseas on the environmental effects of night flight arrangements at airports overseas; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: Neither my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, nor Defra officials have held discussions with counterparts overseas on the environmental effects of night flight arrangements at overseas airports.
	The specific environmental impacts of air transport fall under the remit of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport. The DfT are currently reviewing the night flight restrictions at airports designated under s.78 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982 (Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted) and this review will no doubt consider the wider implications of such restrictions.
	The DfT's stage 1 consultation on night restrictions from 30 October 2005 closed on 29 October and the second stage of this consultation process will be undertaken in due course.

Nitrates Directive

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when her Department or its predecessor applied to the EU Commission for a derogation from the Nitrates Directive to allow applications of 210 kg/ha on arable land and 250 kg/ha on grass land.

Elliot Morley: The Nitrates Directive permits member states to allow applications of 21 kgN/ha for the first four-year action programme. Member states do not have to submit an application to the EU Commission in this regard.
	Member states may allow a different application limit than the baseline of 170 kgN/ha set by the Nitrates Directive, though they must justify that decision to the Commission. As a result of earlier discussions with the Commission, the Department has initiated research to support the UK justification for the inclusion of a higher application limit within its action programmes.

Organic Fertiliser

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reasons the Government did not apply for a derogation on the spreading of organic fertiliser in nitrate vulnerable zones within the deadline specified; and what the implications are of not applying within the specified deadline.

Elliot Morley: Directive 91/676/EEC concerning the protection of waters against water pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources does not specify a deadline within which member states are required to submit any application for a derogation on the spreading of organic fertiliser in nitrate vulnerable zones.

Pesticide Residues

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Department takes to ensure that pesticide residue levels on fruits are within (a) UK and (b) EU standards.

Alun Michael: We undertake an extensive programme of surveillance for pesticide residues in food. The programme involves the collection of 4,000 samples from retailers or other points in the distribution chain and their analysis for up to 149 different pesticides, at a cost of approximately £2.2 million a year. The programme covers around 40 different commodities each year. In 2003, 25 different fruits were surveyed.
	The surveillance programme is overseen by an independent advisory committee—the Pesticide Residues Committee (PRC). The results are all published each quarter on the PRC website, at www.prc-uk.org, along with the names of the suppliers of the relevant produce. The UK surveillance programme contributes to a wider EU residues surveillance programme.
	If residues are found above statutory maximum residue levels (MRLs), then a scientific risk assessment is carried out to check that there is no concern for consumers. These risk assessments are also published by the PRC. The supplier is informed and, for imported produce, the relevant authorities in the exporting country.
	In cases where there are persistent exceedances of the MRL, or evidence of the use of non-approved products, an enforcement programme is undertaken, involving the collection of samples with a view to prosecution if breaches of the regulations are found.

Pet Shops

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what legislation governs the inspection of pet shops in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Under the Pet Animals Act 1951 all pet shops in Great Britain have to be licensed by the local authority. The Act provides local authority officers with powers of inspection. Pet shops in Northern Ireland are similarly regulated under the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 1972.
	The draft Animal Welfare Bill would allow for secondary legislation to be introduced, to update the 1951 Act.

Radiation Risks

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the minority report of two members of the Committee Examining Radiation Risks of Internal Emitters; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: I am aware of a report published by two members of the Committee Examining Radiation Risks from Internal Emitters (CERRIE), although a copy has not been provided to the Department. I understand that those two members attended all of the meetings of CERRIE; that their views, which they have subsequently published separately, were discussed extensively during those meetings; and that the CERRIE report addresses the points that they have raised. CERRIE was set up jointly by Defra and the Department of Health under the auspices of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE), which is the Government's independent expert advisory committee in this area. CERRIE published its report on 20 October, and on the same day COMARE published its own report endorsing CERRIE's conclusions. We are currently considering with the Department of Health, COMARE, the National Radiological Protection Board and the Environment Agency how CERRIE's conclusions should be accounted for in future decisions on radiological protection.

Radiation Risks

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she received the final report on the hazards of radiation from the Committee Examining Radiation Risks of Internal Emitters; what plans she has to take action on its recommendations; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: Ministers received copies of the Committee Examining Radiation Risks of Internal Emitters' final report on 20 October, along with advice on it from the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment, whose report was also published on 20 October. These are complex reports on important technical issues, which we are currently considering in conjunction with colleagues in the Department of Health, the National Radiological Protection Board and the Environment Agency to ensure that the points made by CERRIE are fully taken into account in future assessments of radiation risks from internal emitters.

Raptors

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Department takes to promote the captive breeding of raptors in the UK.

Elliot Morley: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is very aware of the beneficial conservation effects of captive breeding of raptors. The increase in numbers of non-hybrid captive bred specimens helps lessen the threat to the wild populations of those species. Her officials carry out a constructive dialogue with UK breeders over a range of issues which effect captive breeding operations within the UK, including the streamlining of procedures to aid them in complying with their registration obligations.

Recycling (Barking and Dagenham)

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much Government money has been provided to Barking and Dagenham council since 1997 to help pay for waste recycling.

Elliot Morley: The main source of funding for Barking and Dagenham council, as for all local authorities, is through the Environmental, Protective, and Cultural Services (EPCS) block of annual Government grant. It is for the local authority to decide what proportion of the block is invested in waste management services, including recycling.
	The London borough of Barking and Dagenham is a constituent authority of the East London Waste Authority (ELWA), which was awarded £47 million in PFI credits for its integrated waste management service (IWMS) contract which was signed in the 2002–03 financial year.
	As part of ELWA Barking and Dagenham council have also benefited from two joint kerbside collection projects which together were allocated a total of £1,030,000 from the London Recycling Fund for 2002–03 and 2003–04. The London Recycling Fund has approved three further projects to support Barking and Dagenham council for 2004–05 and 2005–06:
	A multi material collection scheme allocated £600,000
	An awareness campaign allocated £100,000
	A green waste project allocated £80,000.
	Barking and Dagenham council has also been allocated the following additional funding and support:
	£46,700 from Defra to relieve spending pressures in the waste area for 2004–05;
	As a member of ELWA, £74,453 in direct consultancy support in 2004–05 through Defra's Waste Implementation Programme to review ELWA's strategic planning for waste management.

Sodium Azid (Airbags)

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what regulations apply to the disposal of sodium azid present in airbags when cars are scrapped.

Elliot Morley: The End-of-Life Vehicles Regulations 2003 require the removal or neutralisation of all potentially explosive components, including airbags, when waste motor vehicles are treated.

Sugar Regime

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects the new EU sugar regime to be agreed.

Alun Michael: The current EU sugar regime is clearly unsustainable and the UK Government has consistently called for early decisions on reform to give all concerned time to adjust to the substantial changes needed to bring the arrangements into line with other parts of the Common Agricultural Policy and the EU's international obligations. The European Commission has tabled a Communication setting out its preferred approach to reform, but has not yet made formal legislative proposals for a new regime. It is for the Commission to decide when to put such proposals to the Council and for the presidency in office to bring discussions to a successful conclusion.

Sugar Regime

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which agencies will be inspecting UK sugar farms under the new EU sugar regime.

Alun Michael: The requirements of a new EU sugar regime have still to be determined. If the regime is brought into line with other reformed CAP sectors, farmers growing sugar beet can expect to be subject to similar conditions to those growing other crops, for which inspections will be co-ordinated by the Rural Payments Agency.

Sugar Regime

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the impact will be of the reform of the EU Sugar Regime on the UK quota; and whether there will be quota cuts for the UK.

Alun Michael: The European Commission's preferred approach to sugar reform envisages both price and quota cuts for all EU producers. In the absence of detailed legislative proposals it is not clear how quota cuts will be made or what their impact in the UK will be.

Sugar Regime

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on how UK sugar growers will be affected by compensation arrangements under the EU Sugar Regime.

Alun Michael: The European Commission's preferred approach to sugar reform envisages decoupled direct income support for all EU sugar producers on a similar basis to payments under the June 2003 CAP reform arrangements. In the absence of detailed legislative proposals it is not clear how these arrangements will work or what their impact in the UK may be.

Terrorism

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many people are employed in the UK to protect reservoirs from terrorist attack; and what measures have been taken to protect reservoirs since 2001;
	(2)  how many people are employed in the UK to provide security for dams; and what measures have been taken to ensure dams are protected since 2001.

Elliot Morley: The safety and protection of dams and reservoirs is a matter for the dam owner or reservoir undertaker. The Reservoir Act 1975 provides a safety regime for large raised reservoirs and their dams and reservoir undertakers are required to engage specialist engineers to monitor and inspect them. The Department does not keep information about the people employed at these sites.

Veterinary Service

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on ensuring access by farmers to professional advice and prescriptions from those veterinary surgeons collaborating with veterinary pharmacists who are not providing an emergency clinical service; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: A veterinary surgeon must operate within the terms of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons' Code of Professional Conduct. The Animal Health and Welfare Strategy recognises the importance of access by farmers to professional veterinary advice and to veterinary medicines that are necessary for the health and welfare of their animals. We also recognise the need to ensure that medicines are used safely and responsibly. That is why the supply of veterinary medicines is controlled by legislation. Some veterinary medicines may be supplied only in accordance with a prescription issued by a veterinary surgeon. For such medicines it is important that the prescribing veterinary surgeon has sufficient knowledge of the animals concerned and of the conditions under which they are kept to ensure that the medicine prescribed is appropriate and that it will be used safely and effectively.
	It is lawful for a pharmacist to dispense a veterinary medicinal product as directed in a prescription issued by a veterinary surgeon.
	Following a major review of the European veterinary medicines legislation, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is revising the UK legislation. The UK's policy in the negotiations was to seek to replicate our current distribution arrangements. After a round of informal consultation with interested parties the VMD has published a concept note setting out a proposal for revising the current veterinary medicine distribution categories to both comply with the changes to European legislation and allow the current distribution controls in the UK to continue. Comments on the concept note are still welcome and I am placing a copy in the Library. It is also available on the VMD's website (www.vmd.gov.uk) under Publications, Review 2001.

Waste Transport

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of London's waste was transported on the river Thames in the last year for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The Government does not hold this information.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Alzheimer's

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reasons Alzheimer's Disease is not included as a terminal illness in respect of claims for benefit; and if he will make a statement.

John Spellar: The disability living allowance and attendance allowance "special rules" provisions for terminally ill people are not linked to specific diseases or illnesses. For the purposes of the "special rules", a person is considered to be terminally ill if they suffer from a progressive disease and their death, in consequence of that disease, can reasonably be expected within six months.

Autism (Teacher Training)

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what money has been ringfenced for the purpose of training classroom assistants and teachers dealing with children with autism in the Belfast Education and Library Board area.

Barry Gardiner: Children with Autism represent one of the largest growth areas in special educational needs (SEN) in recent years.
	In response to this, and following the publication of the report of the NI Task Group on Autism, the Department of Education (DE) has made several specific additional earmarked allocations to the Education and Library Boards (ELBs):
	DE made £54,000 available in 2003–04 and £111,000 from 2004–05 onwards to each ELB to enable the establishment of an Inter-board Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Training Group, which will develop training needs and support measures in this area. This includes the development of cross-Board training for ELB and school staff in a range of ASD strategies ands interventions;
	£100,000 was provided in 2003–04 to enable each ELB to provide training, related specifically to Autism, within the pre-school sector, to teachers, classroom assistants, playgroup leaders and assistants, qualified early years specialists and relevant Board staff.
	An additional £80,000 has been provided to each ELB in 2004–05 to enhance provision for children with Challenging Behaviour and ASD.
	DE has produced ASD-specific resource materials to support teachers, classroom assistants and parents. The Department is also supporting a 2-year project to develop and implement a programme of training and development for classroom assistants who are appointed to support pupils with statements of special educational needs, and to enhance the skills of teachers in deploying and managing classroom assistance. I will write to the hon. Member with additional information, which the BELB will supply, on other training organised through its education department, including courses offered to schools and also those which are specific to individual pupils. This information could not be provided in the time available.

Belfast Education and Library Board

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what timetable he has set for the Belfast Education and Library Board to produce a recovery plan.

Barry Gardiner: It remains my intention to seek recovery of the amount overspent last year but I have not yet set a timetable for the Board to produce a recovery plan. My priority in dealing with the overspend in the Belfast Education and Library Board has been to seek confirmation that the Board has quantified the precise scale and scope of the overspend in 2003–04; is tackling the systems and other weaknesses that contributed to its occurrence and late discovery; and has plans in place to contain expenditure within budget in the current year. Once I am satisfied that these plans are in place and are working, I will want to address the issue of recovery.

Civil Service

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the number of civil service jobs which will be lost in East Antrim as a result of efficiency savings announced on 12 July; and what assistance will be provided to redundant civil service employees to help them find alternative employment.

Ian Pearson: The details of where the reductions will take place is the subject of ongoing planning within individual Departments and will not be available until business plans for 2005–06 and subsequent years are finalised.
	It is expected that the reductions and other workforce changes will be achieved through natural wastage and redeployment, without the need for redundancy schemes. Plans are being developed to support staff in moving to new posts.

Consultants

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many consultancy firms or companies have been retained by the Department since June 2001; what the projects are for which each has been retained; and what the total is of the fees paid or incurred in each case.

Ian Pearson: Information about all consultancy contracts entered into by Departments in Northern Ireland is not held centrally and could only be obtained from individual Departments at disproportionate cost. Information on consultancy contracts awarded by the Central Procurement Directorate on behalf of Northern Ireland Departments in the last three financial years is held by that Directorate and a table listing these has been placed in the Library. These contracts were awarded to 166 consultancy firms or companies.

Consultants

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department has spent in each year since 2002 on employing external consultants to deal with the press and public relations of his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The 11 Departments of the Northern Ireland Administration and the Northern Ireland Office have spent a total of £24,259.20 and £76,686.96 in the financial years 2002–03 and 2003–04 respectively on employing external consultants to deal with press and public relations. A figure for the current financial year is not yet available. Figures are in respect of core Departments only.

Disabled Pupils

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures he is taking to prepare teachers and classroom assistants for the task of including children with disabilities in mainstream schools.

Barry Gardiner: At present 60 per cent. of children with statements are already educated in mainstream schools or units. As part of the implementation of the proposed Special Educational Needs and Disability Order (NI) the Department will develop a range of information giving measures to support teachers and classroom assistants in making provision for children with disabilities in mainstream schools, including a revision of the Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs. The Equality Commission will also produce two Codes of Practice on Disability Discrimination. These codes will provide practical advice to teachers and classroom assistants.
	The Department is also continuing to develop programmes and materials to support teachers and classroom assistants in relation to specific areas of Special Education Need, and is working with the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI), the Regional Training Unit (RTU) and the Education and Library Boards to develop a strategic approach to the co-ordination of a comprehensive training agenda over a wide range of areas associated to inclusion.
	Teacher education provision is also currently under review, the intention of which is to develop approaches that match more closely the needs of teachers entering the profession. In particular, the five teacher training providers in NI are reviewing their current practice in the light of the proposed Special Educational Needs and Disability Order.

Early Release

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners set free under the Belfast Agreement early release schemes are in (a) full-time and (b) part-time employment.

Ian Pearson: The information requested is unavailable as the Northern Ireland Prison Service does not hold the employment details of former inmates.

Economic Output Statistics

David Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether a recent review of the reliability of GDP and Gross Value Added (GVA) output figures for Northern Ireland has been made by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment and Northern Ireland Statistics Research Agency; and what discussions he has had with the (a) Chancellor of the Exchequer, (b) Secretary of State for Scotland and (c) Secretary of State for Wales regarding the reliability of the GDP and GVA output date for other regions of the United Kingdom.

Barry Gardiner: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is responsible for producing the estimates of Gross Value Added (GVA) for the regions of the UK, including Northern Ireland. Statisticians in the Northern Ireland Statistics Research Agency (NISRA) work on an on-going basis with the ONS to quality assure these and, with their colleagues in the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment (DETI), have contributed to the recent Allsopp Review of Statistics for Economic Policymaking.
	The Review recommended that the ONS develop new methods to produce estimates of GVA for the countries and regions of the UK. This will include the introduction of annual baseline data for GVA derived according to the production process in addition to the current income based measure of Regional GVA.
	No specific discussions have taken place between the Secretary of State and Ministerial colleagues on this topic. However, both DETI and NISRA will work with ONS to implement the Allsopp recommendations as appropriate.

Education Action Zones

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the timetable is for the introduction of education action zones; and for what reasons the previously published schedule for their introduction has not been met.

Barry Gardiner: In late 2003 the Department announced plans to introduce Education Action Zones (EAZs), aimed at tackling the root causes of social deprivation and educational underachievement on a multi-agency basis, and at that time it was indicated that the first EAZs might come into operation in September 2004. However, the introduction of the programme involved significant inter-Departmental and multi-agency working, and in summer 2004 the Department wrote to the education and library boards setting out the criteria for EAZs and inviting Stage 1 bids. These bids are currently being considered and it is now expected that the first Education Action Zones could come on stream by spring 2005.

Education Initiatives

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the reasons are for the rejection of the proposals to the Integrated Development Fund relating to education in Greater Shankill.

Barry Gardiner: The Joint Working Group's bid to the Integrated Development Fund for resources to the address the educational recommendations made in the West Belfast and Greater Shankill task force reports has not been rejected. The level of funding available to the Integrated Development Fund is finite and in the light of the number and scale of other bids to the Fund, it was not possible to provide funds to meet the education bid in full. The Joint Working Group has been invited therefore to prepare a revised bid and the Department is meeting shortly with the two sponsoring education and library boards to take the bid forward.

Fair Trade Products

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether it is his policy to ensure that hospitality within his Department is sourced from fair trade producers wherever possible within the boundaries set by the public procurement rules.

Ian Pearson: It is for each department to decide how best to meet its catering needs, taking account of any fair or ethical trading objectives. In so far as public procurement of catering services or supplies is involved the requirement must be consistent with best value for money and the EC Procurement Directives.

Genito-urinary Medicine

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on recruitment to non-consultant grade posts in genito-urinary medicine.

Angela Smith: The Department has recently become aware of recruitment difficulties in the area of genito-urinary medicine. The Department understands that the trust which provides this service regionally to the people of Northern Ireland only received a limited response to a recent advertisement for medical appointments within this speciality.
	In seeking to improve service delivery in this area, additional junior doctor training positions have been created within this speciality in recent years which will help over the course of time to increase the number of consultant grade doctors working in this area. In the interim, further consideration is being given to measures which might be taken to improve the recruitment position.

Medical Schools

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans there are to increase the number of medical school places in the Province.

Angela Smith: I can confirm that it is my intention to increase the annual intake of medical students to 250, as soon as it is feasible to do so.
	In the meantime the Department explored with Queen's University Belfast the possibility of a small increase in the medical student intake on a "one-off" basis in the 2004–05 academic year, in advance of completion of the formal process for the full expansion. As a result 33 additional places were awarded this year.

Midazolam/Oxygen Therapy

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what guidance he has issued regarding whether staff can administer (a) midazolam and (b) oxygen therapy at schools for children with special needs in the Province.

Barry Gardiner: No such guidance has been issued by the Department of Education, (DE). DE, in partnership with Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, (DHSS&PS), is currently preparing guidance to assist schools in the administration of medication to pupils, once such medication has been prescribed by a medical practitioner.
	Should a child require midazolam, procedures would be established on an individual basis, through a dedicated Care Plan, to ensure safe practice in its administration.
	The provision of oxygen therapy for children in Northern Ireland takes place on the basis of a protocol specifying the circumstances under which the oxygen can be administered which is signed by the senior clinical officer. The primary purpose in administering oxygen therapy is for post seizure management.

Milk

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of Northern Ireland dairy farmers received a milk price that failed to meet its cost of production in each of the last three years; and what support he provides to Northern Ireland dairy farmers.

Ian Pearson: An estimate of the number of Northern Ireland dairy farmers who receive a milk price that does not cover the costs of production is not determined on an annual basis by DARD. The most recent estimate for milk production costs is for the year ended March 2002. Using the information from that analysis, it is estimated that the milk price received on 24 per cent. of dairy farmers would not cover the economic costs of milk production in that year.
	DARD provides a range of educational courses at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) including modules on dairy farming. Also, advice and information is available from locally based development advisors and technology teams based at CAFRE. This localised support is in addition to that provided under the Common Agricultural Policy of the EU.

Milk

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to (a) make the Retailer Code of Practice more effective in protecting dairy farmers in Northern Ireland from price cuts imposed by retailers on their milk suppliers and (b) extend the Retailer Code of Practice to cover farmers who supply supermarkets via an intermediary; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: Under the Northern Ireland Act 1998 the regulation of anti-competition practices and agreements and the abuse of dominant position in the market are reserved matters. Responsibility for the Supermarkets' Code of Practice therefore rests with the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

Neutral Working Environments

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his policy is on a neutral working environment for Northern Ireland Government departments.

Ian Pearson: The Northern Ireland Civil Service's Equal Opportunities Policy Statement asserts that
	"Everyone has a right to equality of opportunity and to a good and harmonious working environment and atmosphere in which all workers are encouraged to apply their diverse talents and in which no worker feels under threat or intimidated".

Pre-school Education

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many responses have been received relating to the review of pre-school education.

Barry Gardiner: A total of 7,250 responses were received by the time the public consultation closed on 15 October.

School Leavers

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of pupils left full time education at the age of 16 in Northern Ireland in the last year for which figures are available.

Barry Gardiner: The latest available figure relates to those aged 16 at 1 July 2002. In autumn 2002, 22 per cent. of these young people were not in full-time education.

DEFENCE

1st Battalion the King's Regiment

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what postings the 1st Battalion the King's Regiment will receive in the next 12 months.

Geoff Hoon: The 1st Battalion The Kings Regiment (1 Kings) is due to remain in Catterick for the next 12 months, conducting a full training programme in preparation for a NATO standby commitment in 2006.

Army Annual Operating Costs

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the average annual operating cost, broken down into direct Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit and indirect Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit was for (a) an armoured regiment, (b) an armoured reconnaissance regiment, (c) a yeomanry regiment and (d) an army air corps regiment in financial year 2002–03;
	(2)  what the average annual operating cost, broken down into direct Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit and indirect Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit was for (a) an armoured infantry battalion, (b) a mechanised battalion, (c) an air assault battalion and (d) a light role battalion in financial year 2002–03;
	(3)  what the average annual operating cost, broken down into direct Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit and indirect Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit was for (a) a Northern Ireland battalion, (b) a Gurkha battalion, (c) a home service battalion, (d) a training centre battalion, (e) a medical regiment and (f) a military hospital in financial year 2002–03;
	(4)  what the average annual operating cost, broken down into direct Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit and indirect Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit was for (a) an artillery field regiment, (b) an air defence regiment, (c) a MLRS regiment, (d) surveillance and target acquisitions and (e) a commando regiment in financial year 2002–03;
	(5)  what the average annual operating cost, broken down into direct Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit and indirect Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit was for (a) an engineer regiment, (b) a signal regiment, (c) an EW regiment, (d) an equipment support battalion and (e) a logistics regiment in financial year 2002–03;
	(6)  what the average annual operating cost, broken down into direct Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit and indirect Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit of the (a) engineer regiment, (b) signal regiment, (c) EW regiment, (d) equipment support battalion and (e) logistic regiment regular units were for financial year 2002–03;
	(7)  what the average annual operating cost, broken down into direct Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit and indirect Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit of the (a) artillery field regiment, (b) air defence regiment, (c) MLRS regiment, (d) surveillance and target acquisition and (e) commando regiment regular units were for financial year 2002–03;
	(8)  what the average annual operating cost, broken down into direct Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit and indirect Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit of the (a) Northern Ireland battalion, (b) Gurkha battalion, (c) home service battalion, (d) training centre battalion, (e) medical regiment and (f) hospital regular units were for financial year 2002–03;
	(9)  what the average annual operating cost, broken down into direct Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit and indirect Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit of the (a) armoured infantry battalion, (b) mechanised battalion, (c) air assault battalion and (d) light role battalion regular units were for financial year 2002–03;
	(10)  what the average annual operating cost, broken down into direct Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit and indirect Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit of the (a) armoured regiment, (b) armoured recce regiment, (c) yeomanry regiment and (d) army air corps regiment regular units were for financial year 2002–03.

Adam Ingram: This information is not held centrally in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. I am therefore withholding it under Exemption 9 of Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Army Deployment

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether other sections of the Army are expected to be deployed to undertake roles usually undertaken by the infantry.

Adam Ingram: It is not unusual for the Royal Artillery and Royal Armoured Corps to deploy units in the infantry role. In addition, other parts of the Army, such as the Royal Corps of Signals and Royal Logistics Corps, undertake general infantry tasks as part of routine operations. This is made possible by the fact that every soldier in the Army is trained as an infantryman first, and as a specialist second.
	On larger operations, such as that in Iraq, a complete brigade is usually deployed as an entity, including infantry, armoured and artillery units. This reflects the fact that the whole brigade will have trained together for a range of operations, and will be capable of switching rapidly between different roles as part of routine business in Iraq. For example, in Iraq, armoured regiments regularly switch between operating with their tanks, and operating in the infantry role. These flexible arrangements are expected to continue for the foreseeable future.

Basic Level Budget Holders

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if he will list the basic level budget holders subordinate to the (a) Fleet, (b) General Officer Commanding (Northern Ireland), (c) Commander-in-Chief Land Command, (d) Field Army (Theatre Troops), (e) 1st (UK) Armoured Division, (f) 2nd Division, (g) UK Support Command (Germany), (h) 3rd Division, (i) Joint Helicopter Command, (j) 4th Division, (k) Land Support and (l) 5th Division management groups for financial year 2002–03;
	(2)  if he will list the basic level budget holders subordinate to the (a) 1 Group, (b) 3 Group, (c) 2 Group, (d) Deputy Commander-in-Chief, (e) British Forces Cyprus, (f) British Forces Gibraltar, (g) Permanent Joint Headquarters, (h) Sovereign Base Areas Administration and (i) British Forces Falkland Islands management groups for financial year 2002–03;
	(3)  if he will list the basic level budget holders subordinate to the (a) Defence Fuels Group, (b) Deputy Chief of Defence Logistics, (c) Defence Communication Services Agency, (d) Defence Logistics Support HQ, (e) Defence Clothing and Textiles Agency, (f) DG Equipment Support (Land), (g) Warship Support Agency, (h) DG Equipment Support (Air), (i) Defence Storage and Distribution Agency, (j) Director Land Service Ammunition, (k) Defence Transport and Movements Agency and (l) British Forces Post Office management groups for financial year 2002–03;
	(4)  if he will list the basic level budget holders subordinate to the (a) Flag Officer Training and Recruiting, (b) HQ, (c) Naval Secretary, (d) Adjutant General, (e) Army Personnel Centre, (f) Adjutant General, (g) Army Training and Recruiting Agency, (h) Army Programme, (i) Service Children's Education and (j) General Staff management groups for financial year 2002–03;
	(5)  if he will list the basic level budget holders subordinate to the (a) Personnel Management Agency, (b) Core HQ, (c) Training Group Defence Agency, (d) Internal Costs, (e) Programme Account and (f) Nuclear management groups for financial year 2002–03;
	(6)  if he will list the basic level budget holders subordinate to the (a) Personnel Director, (b) War Pensions Agency, (c) Pay and Personnel Agency, (d) Surgeon General, (e) Defence Vetting Agency, (f) Deputy Chief Defence Staff (Personnel), (g) Defence Export Services Org, (h) Defence Secondary Care Agency, (i) Finance Director, (j) Defence Dental Agency, (k) Defence Analytical Services Agency, (l) Defence Housing Executive and (m) Defence Bills Agency management groups for financial year 2002–03;
	(7)  if he will list the basic level budget holders subordinate to the (a) Defence Medical Training Organisation, (b) Chief Constable MOD Police, (c) Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency, (d) Chief Scientific Adviser, (e) Defence Estates, (f) Policy Director, (g) Deputy Chief Defence Staff (Commitments), (h) Deputy Chief Defence Staff (Equipment Capability), (i) Director Special Forces, (j) Chief of Defence Intelligence, (k) Defence Geographic and Imaging Intelligence Agency and (l) Defence Intelligence and Security Centre management groups for financial year 2002–03.

Adam Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Black Watch

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the composition is of the Black Watch Battlegroup serving in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 11 November 2004
	The 1 Black Watch Battlegroup comprises:
	1 Battalion Headquarters (1 Black Watch);
	3 Rifle Companies (1 Black Watch);
	a mortar and infantry Platoon (40 Commando (RM));
	an Armoured Reconnaissance Squadron (Queen's Dragoon Guards);
	associated Combat Support and Combat Service Support Elements, including appropriate medical facilities.
	Two Puma helicopters and one Lynx helicopter are supporting the Battlegroup specifically for this operation.

Black Watch

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to what duties 1 Black Watch will be returning in the UK.

Geoff Hoon: On return to the United Kingdom, the 1st Battalion The Black Watch (The Highland Regiment) will have a period of post operational tour leave before resuming its commitment as the Land Warfare Centre Battle group, providing support to the training of units and individuals across the Army.

Bowman Radios

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the testing of the Bowman radios being used by the Royal Anglian Regiment; and what action he is taking to ensure the radios are compatible with other equipment used by the armed forces.

Adam Ingram: The Bowman tactical communications and information system is being delivered incrementally and is subject to a comprehensive test and trials programme, ranging from laboratory integration and analysis to operational field trials by the eventual users. 1 Royal Anglian is a significant constituent element of these trials. Successful integration with in-service equipment is part of the Bowman requirement and is being evaluated.
	Within the team that is developing and introducing Bowman, there is a dedicated group pioneering a System of Systems management approach to ensure that the capability delivered by Bowman will develop over time as new platforms, communications and information systems, and battlefield applications are delivered over the coming years.

Cadet Transport

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what regulations govern the type of transport which may be used for transporting cadets (a) to training areas and (b) within training areas.

Ivor Caplin: The regulations governing the type and use of transport systems used in transporting cadets both to training areas and within those training areas, are found in "JSP(Joint Service Publication) 341, Defence Road Transport Regulations, Chapter 3, Article 3.052—"Vehicles to be used by Cadets".
	The decisions reflecting the choice and suitability of transport of cadets both to and within training areas is based on a full "duty of care" risk assessment of the operation required. The regulations for producing the latter are contained in "JSP 375, the MOD Health and Safety Handbook", which contains within it, separate leaflets relating to all relevant "duty of care" health and safety situations.

Decommissioning

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which 10 (a) ships and (b) submarines have spent the shortest period of time in service since 1974 with the Royal Navy before decommissioning.

Adam Ingram: The information requested will take some time to collate. I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Defence Crisis Management Organisation

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  who the members were of the Defence Crisis Management Organisation in the lead up to the conflict in Iraq in 2003;
	(2)  on what date and for what reasons the Defence Crisis Management Organisation ruled that mobilisation of forces for Iraq could not begin before the political process had run its course.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 9 November 2004
	The Defence Crisis Management Organisation (DCMO) is responsible for the strategic level planning and execution of military operations, including operations in Iraq, and acts as a channel for operational briefing to Ministers and Chiefs of Staff. The DCMO comprises both civilian and military personnel and is made up of elements of Ministry of Defence Central Staff, the Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ), single-Service front-line commands and other relevant Departments. We do not release names of officials under Exemption 12 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (privacy of an individual).
	The DCMO provides advice to the Chiefs of Staff and Ministers on a range of issues, including mobilisation and other military preparatory measures. Final decisions on these issues are made by Ministers. The Prime Minister stated on 24 September 2002 that there had to be genuine preparedness and planning to take action against Iraq if diplomacy failed and it proved impossible to bring Iraq into compliance with UN Security Council Resolutions by diplomatic means. It was made clear in a Commons Debate on 25 November 2002 and Defence Questions on 9 December 2002 that the Government was undertaking prudent preparations and planning in the event that military action was required. The decision to start mobilising reserves was made by Ministers in early January once it became appropriate to do so in order to further military preparations, and a call-out order under the Reserve Forces Act 1996 was put before Parliament.
	The decision on the participation of UK forces in military action against Iraq was made following the Parliamentary debate on the 18 March 2003 on Iraq's continued non-compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 1441 and the Parliamentary vote in favour of military action to enforce the UN Resolutions.

Defence Exports/Imports

David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the value of defence (a) exports from the UK to the United States of America and (b) imports from the United States was in each of the last five years.

Adam Ingram: The values of the physical export of defence equipment from the United Kingdom to the United States of America are reported in the Annual Reports on the United Kingdom Strategic Export Controls. The figures are derived by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise using specific tariff codes (see Annex C of Cm 6173, the Annual Report 2003, for further details).
	The HMCE figures for equipment imports to the UK from the USA have been derived using similar tariff codes: they are provided in the following table.
	
		£ million
		
			  Export Import 
		
		
			 1999 86.9 660.4 
			 2000 138.9 837.7 
			 2001 349.8 1473.7 
			 2002 162.2 867.1 
			 2003 116.3 (30)272.7 
		
	
	(30) Changes to the HMCE quality assurance methodology may have contributed to the drop in this figure from that recorded in the previous year. HMCE have set up a review team to address issues concerning the provision of defence data. The 2003 figure is, therefore, provisional.

EU Defence White Paper

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the EU White Paper, "New Frontier for an Expanding Union"; and what effect he expects the action plan for implementing the European Space Policy will have on UK defence policy;
	(2)  what implications the EU White Paper "New Frontier for an Expanding Union" published in June has on the European Security and Defence Policy.

Geoff Hoon: The European Commission's White Paper proposes, amongst other things, a number of space-related initiatives aimed at improving the EU's crisis management capability. Whilst space-based assets and applications could play an important role in helping to meet the EU's security and defence needs, the provision of military capability remains a member state responsibility under the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP). This will not be changed by the White Paper, and the White Paper does not therefore determine the priorities for UK Defence policy. The EU's future requirements for military space capabilities are being examined through the ESDP's European Capability Action Plan process.
	EU member states, including the UK, are fully engaged in the development of the EU Space Policy that will follow on from the White Paper. The UK has emphasised that decisions on the defence and military aspects must be taken on an intergovernmental basis, where member states have a veto, and that implementation of the Space Policy must be driven by actual—rather than assumed—requirements.

EU Satellite Navigation Resources

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what decisions were taken on integration of EU member states' civil and military satellite navigation resources at the meeting of the Council of the European Union's politico-military group on 8 September; and what action has been taken as a result.

Geoff Hoon: None.

Fishery Protection

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many fishery protection vessels are in service; and if he will list the areas in which these vessels are being used.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 28 June 2004, Official Report, column 141W, to the hon. Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle).

HMCS Chicoutimi

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether (a) he and (b) his ministerial colleagues have been invited to give evidence to the inquiry into the fire on board HMCS Chicoutimi set up by the Canadian House of Commons.

Adam Ingram: Two members of the United Kingdom project team working in support of the lease to sell four submarines to the Government of Canada have been interviewed by the Board of Inquiry convened by the Canadian Navy into the fire on 5 October on board HMCS Chicoutimi. The RN officer who was invited to observe as Royal Navy Special Adviser continues to be available to the inquiry in that capacity. UK Defence Ministers have not been asked to give evidence.

Infantry Regiments

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultation arrangements (a) he and (b) the Army Board have put in place to allow representations to be made opposing plans to amalgamate regiments.

Geoff Hoon: Both I and my Army Board colleagues are very aware of the level of interest in, and the strength of feeling aroused by, the decision to adjust the structure of the infantry. Following my announcement on 21 July, the Executive Committee of the Army Board (ECAB) tasked the Divisions of Infantry to consider how best to restructure themselves on the basis of large regiments of two or more battalions, with a view to putting forward recommendations. This process has involved a great deal of consultation both within the ranks of those serving and within the wider Army community. Ultimately, proposals will be put before the Army Board and Ministers for the final decision, but we have made it clear that we want a future infantry structure that takes full account of the considered response of those affected.

Infantry Regiments

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the proposals that he is considering on the amalgamation of English regiments in advance of further discussions at the Army Board.

Geoff Hoon: I am currently awaiting advice from the Executive Committee of the Army Board on how best to take forward the restructuring of the infantry.

Iraq

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the estimated monthly cost to the UK of military operations in Iraq was in the last month for which figures are available; and what the estimated cost to the UK of military operations in Iraq over (a) the next three months and (b) the next six months is.

Adam Ingram: Figures for the costs of operations, in Iraq and elsewhere, are published annually to take account of the need for physical stocktakes to establish accurate figures for some aspects of consumption and to allow for audit by the NAO. The annual cost of operations in Iraq in 2003–04, including some elements of the warfighting phase, was £1,311 million. Monthly expenditure within this figure would vary depending on troop numbers and activity, but it is not possible to break down the total by month. It is too early to provide firm figures for the costs of operations in Iraq in this financial year, but Parliament will be asked to vote the necessary funds in Supplementary Estimates.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his United States counterpart on the use of depleted uranium munitions by US forces against Iraqis in urban areas.

Adam Ingram: None.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his reply of 4 October 2004, Official Report, column 1879W, to the hon. Member for Hull North, on Iraq, when the decision to print the aide memoire was made; when it was printed; and when it was first issued to UK service personnel on active duty.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 26 October 2004
	The decision to print the aide memoire card on the law of armed conflict was taken by 1 Division Legal Command. The cards were printed and issued between February and early March 2003, prior to the commencement of combat operations in Iraq.

Iraq

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what costs have been incurred by his Department in the employment of private security firms and personnel in Iraq since March 2003.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has not incurred any costs in the employment of private security firms in Iraq.

Manning Control Points

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions units have received lists of names for manning control point reviews in the last 18 months.

Ivor Caplin: Individual units may have received lists of names for manning control point reviews on up to 10 occasions in the last 18 months.

Manning Control Points

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to conduct manning control point reviews in the next 12 months.

Ivor Caplin: The answer I gave to the hon. Member on 19 January 2004, Official Report, column 919W, is still applicable today.

Manning Control Points

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to conduct discharges at manning control point reviews in the next 12 months.

Ivor Caplin: There will be no discharges under Queens Regulations for the Army 1975 Paragraph 9.413 in the next 12 months.

Nuclear Accident Response Group

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many (a) civil servants and (b) members of the armed forces are employed within the Nuclear Accident Response Group;
	(2)  what plans he has to expand the membership of the Nuclear Accident Response Group.

Adam Ingram: The numbers of civil servants and members of the armed forces employed within the Ministry of Defence's nuclear accident response organisation will vary depending on the type, location and circumstances of any defence nuclear accident. It is therefore not possible to give precise numbers of civil servants and members of the armed forces employed.

Press Releases

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many press releases have been issued by his Department in each month of 2004; and if he will make a statement.

Ivor Caplin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 11 November 2004, Official Report, column 857W.

Procurement

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of military equipment contracts are held by British companies.

Adam Ingram: Taking British companies as entities employing workers in Great Britain and undertaking at least 25 per cent. of the relevant task, the percentages of Ministry of Defence military equipment contracts currently held by British companies are estimated by number to be some 96 per cent. and by value some 88 per cent.

RAF Kinloss/Lossiemouth

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many flying days were lost due to bad weather at (a) RAF Kinloss and (b) RAF Lossiemouth in each month since January 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence does not hold records of whole flying days lost owing to bad weather, which are very rare. The following table presents the total number of lost flying hours by month since January 1997 at RAF Kinloss and RAF Lossiemouth when conditions were assessed as red. Red conditions are defined as when visibility is less than 800 metres or the cloud base is less than 200 ft above ground level. In these conditions, flying is unlikely to take place. Other weather conditions, for example high winds, might also preclude flying but their incidence is not recorded.
	
		
			  RAF Lossiemouth RAF Kinloss 
			 Month Red conditions (hours) 
		
		
			 1997   
			 January — 1:00 
			 February — 1:00 
			 March — 0:00 
			 April — 0:00 
			 May — 12:00 
			 June — 3:00 
			 July — 31:00 
			 August 0:48 22:00 
			 September 0:26 0:00 
			 October 0:00 0:00 
			 November 2:43 8:00 
			 December 0:00 3:00 
			
			 1998   
			 January 0:33 0:00 
			 February 0:08 0:00 
			 March 0:24 0:00 
			 April 0:00 5:00 
			 May 3:04 13:00 
			 June 3:00 14:00 
			 July 0:00 3:00 
			 August 0:10 12:00 
			 September 2:30 20:00 
			 October 0:41 0:00 
			 November 0:30 4:00 
			 December 0:00 0:00 
			
			 1999   
			 January 0:00 2:00 
			 February 1:49 2:00 
			 March 0:00 1:00 
			 April 10:59 30:00 
			 May 0:23 13:00 
			 June 0:24 1:00 
			 July 2:13 13:00 
			 August 0:00 10:00 
			 September 10:18 3:00 
			 October 0:00 1:00 
			 November 0:00 2:00 
			 December 0:00 0:00 
			
			 2000   
			 January 0:00 0:00 
			 February 0:00 0:00 
			 March 1:02 0:00 
			 April 2:56 8:00 
			 May 3:31 4:00 
			 June 0:00 0:00 
			 July 0:00 25:00 
			 August 0:00 1:00 
			 September 0:00 1:00 
			 October 0:00 1:00 
			 November 0:06 1:00 
			 December 0:00 16:00 
			
			 2001   
			 January 3:55 17:00 
			 February 2:04 7:00 
			 March 0:00 1:00 
			 April 0:00 1:00 
			 May 6:39 17:00 
			 June 0:00 2:00 
			 July 0:53 21:00 
			 August 0:00 0:00 
			 September 0:00 0:00 
			 October 1:31 4:00 
			 November 2:38 7:00 
			 December 1:19 21:00 
			
			 2002   
			 January 1:41 5:00 
			 February 1:46 1:00 
			 March 0:00 0:00 
			 April 1:13 0:00 
			 May 0:00 1:00 
			 June 0:00 6:00 
			 July 9:08 20:00 
			 August 2:27 17:00 
			 September 1:11 15:00 
			 October 0:00 0:00 
			 November 0:00 1:00 
			 December 0:08 0:00 
			
			 2003   
			 January 0:30 1:00 
			 February 1:36 6:00 
			 March 11:09 33:00 
			 April 1:44 8:00 
			 May 0:00 6:00 
			 June 0:00 8:00 
			 July 3:16 7:00 
			 August 5:58 19:00 
			 September 0:00 0:00 
			 October 2:57 2:00 
			 November 0:00 0:00 
			 December 9:30 13:00 
			 2004   
			 January 7:11 3:00 
			 February 1:39 4:00 
			 March 0:00 2:00 
			 April 2:15 8:00 
			 May 0:00 0:00 
			 June 0:00 0:00 
			 July 0:00 4:00 
			 August 8:15 27:00 
			 September 1:45 3:00 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Owing to the different nature of their flying operations, RAF Lossiemouth records colour states on a minute by minute basis while RAF Kinloss records the situation hourly.
	2. The RAF Lossiemouth figures have been recorded over the time period 0750 to 2150 daily, which is the time period within which the majority of the flying programme takes place. The RAF Kinloss figures have been recorded over a full 24 hour period because the station remains open round the clock.
	3. No records are available for January to July 1997 for RAF Lossiemouth.

RAF Menwith Hill

Harold Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the purpose is of the expansion and upgrade of RAF Menwith Hill.

Ivor Caplin: The current programme of works at RAF Menwith Hill is to upgrade and refurbish existing facilities to ensure that the base retains the highest level of technological capabilities available. The mission of the base remains unchanged.

RAF Menwith Hill

Harold Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will undertake a public consultation exercise into the effect upon the local population of work being undertaken at RAF Menwith Hill.

Geoff Hoon: The Ministry of Defence fully recognises the importance of working alongside local communities at all of its establishments, including RAF Menwith Hill, and encourages regular liaison and consultation with the local communities on a wide range of issues. There is therefore no reason to conduct a specific public consultation exercise.

Royal Navy

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his plans to strengthen the frontline of the Royal Navy in the next 10 years.

Adam Ingram: To ensure that it will be capable of delivering and contributing to future joint effects-based operations, the Royal Navy will develop a versatile maritime force that will be expeditionary in focus, and sufficiently agile to meet the lull spectrum of future operational tasks. It must therefore be responsive, robust, flexible and adaptable. In addition to procuring the ships, submarines and equipment that will deliver a range of effects to ensure mission success, and which were described in last summer's supplement to the December 2003 White Paper, the Royal Navy will take other measures to enhance its frontline capability, including continued improvements to individual and collective training, and improvements in global logistic sustainability. Structural improvements are also planned which will focus on the delivery of front-line military effect, in particular to take advantage of network enabled capability.

Royal Navy

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the expected decommissioning dates are of the (a) destroyers, (b) frigates, (c) submarines and (d) minehunters identified in Delivering Security; when the (i) Chief of the Naval Staff and (ii) Commander in Chief Fleet agreed these decommissionings; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: In addition to HMS Bridport, a Sandown class Mine Counter Measure Vessel (MCMV) which was withdrawn from service earlier this year, the planned decommissioning dates are listed. These decisions were taken following thorough examination as part of the department's planning process, including consideration by the Defence Management Board.
	
		
			  Type  Vessel Decommissioning date 
		
		
			 Type 42 Batch 1 Destroyers HMS Cardiff 2005 
			  HMS Glasgow 2005 
			  HMS Newcastle 2005 
			 Type 23 Frigates HMS Norfolk 2005 
			  HMS Marlborough 2005 
			  HMS Grafton 2006 
			 Attack Submarines HMS Superb 2008 
			  HMS Trafalgar 2008 
			 Sandown Class MCMV HMS Sandown 2005 
			  HMS Inverness 2005 
			 Northern Ireland Patrol Vessels HMS Cottesmore 2006 
			  HMS Brecon 2007 
			  HMS Dulverton 2007

S-type Contracts

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers have been employed in the last six months on an S-Type contract that was signed within a week of the termination of an open engagement contract relating to the same soldier.

Ivor Caplin: None.

Sea Skua Missile

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to develop a successor to the Sea Skua missile.

Adam Ingram: Sea Skua is currently planned progressively to leave service from around the 2012 to 2014 period. It is intended to be replaced by the Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon.

Service Delivery Agreements

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of the service delivery agreements between his Department's top level budget holders and head office for financial years 1999–2000 to 2003–04.

Adam Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Skydive Ranch

Ian Paisley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment the Department has made of the safety record of parachutes used at Skydive Ranch in Canada; and whether Skydive Ranch complies with all the Department's requirements for (a) safety and (b) instructor training levels.

Adam Ingram: The Skydive Ranch in Canada is subject to an annual no-notice safety audit by the Ministry of Defence Joint Service Parachute Centre (JSPC) during which a thorough check of equipment and procedures is undertaken. During the inspection, an advanced instructor/examiner from the British Parachute Association assesses instructor performance and teaching ability at the Skydive Ranch.
	The Ministry of Defence is satisfied that the Skydive Ranch is operating safely, and the risks to British military personnel are as low as reasonably practical.

Sonic Boom (North Norfolk)

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the results of his Department's investigation into the cause of the sonic boom heard in North Norfolk on 8 November.

Ivor Caplin: The investigation into this reported sonic event is still ongoing; however, indications are that the aircraft that caused the event was a French Air Force Mirage operating in a military air-range over the North sea. It is believed that the aircraft was approximately 18 miles off the coast when the event occurred.

Submarines

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information the Government have been asked to supply to the Canadian Parliament concerning its inquiry into the purchase of four Upholder Class submarines from the UK.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has been asked for some background information to inform the Standing Committee on National Defence and Veterans Affairs of the Canadian Parliament, which is currently conducting a study on the acquisition of submarines for the Canadian forces.
	Separately, the Canadian Board of Inquiry (BOI) convened to investigate the fire on board HMCS Chicoutimi on 4 October has sought and received documentation from MOD and BAE Systems.

Submarines

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who was responsible for signing off HMCS Chicoutimi as seaworthy prior to its handover to the Canadian Government.

Adam Ingram: The submarine's clearance for sea was endorsed by the Royal Navy using the Royal Navy's acceptance procedures.

Submarines

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the refurbishment of the Upholder Class submarines sold to Canada had qualifications attached to the sale indicating they should not be operated in accordance with their original design specification.

Adam Ingram: At the time of handover to and acceptance by Canada of each of the four reactivated Upholder Class submarines, none had any qualifications indicating that they should not be operated in accordance with their original design specification.

Submarines

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether HMCS Chicoutimi is to be refitted and made seaworthy in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Any decision with regard to the future of HMCS Chicoutimi is a matter for the Canadian Government.

Submarines

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many days each of the four Upholder class submarines spent (a) in service and (b) at sea with the Royal Navy before their decommissioning.

Adam Ingram: The four Upholder Class submarines were taken out of service with the Royal Navy in 1994. Times spent in service and at sea with the Royal Navy are shown as follows.
	
		
			 Submarine Service with the RN Days at sea 
		
		
			 HMS Upholder December 1990 to July 1994 370 
			 HMS Unseen July 1991 to July 1994 269 
			 HMS Ursula January 1993 to July 1994 199 
			 HMS Unicorn November 1993 to October 1994 239

Unexploded Ordnance

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many unexploded cluster munitions deployed by UK forces there are worldwide; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 3 February 2004
	It is not possible to quantify how many unexploded cluster munitions deployed by UK forces there might be worldwide. Air-delivered cluster munitions have been used in a number of recent conflicts. Their rates of failing to explode as designed can vary considerably depending on a variety of factors, including the terrain conditions on impact. By contrast, the modern artillery-delivered cluster munitions used in Iraq have secondary fuses that ensure a far smaller proportion is left unexploded. The quantity of unexploded munitions has also been greatly reduced by extensive clearance efforts in, for example, Kosovo and Iraq.

US Interceptor Missiles

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of the existing US-UK agreements allow for the siting of US interceptor missiles in Britain.

Geoff Hoon: None. United States/United Kingdom basing agreements are a matter for joint decision making between the two Governments, and any new proposals for basing would be the subject of negotiation before any agreement was made.

Warrior-equipped Battalions

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Warrior-equipped battalions will be deploying on operations in the next three months; and to where.

Geoff Hoon: We have no plans to deploy any further Warrior-equipped battalions on operations in the next three months.

Weapons of Mass Destruction

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether (a) civil servants and (b) military personnel requested an impact assessment of the effect of weapons of mass destruction on (i) the physical well-being of allied troops and (ii) the morale of British troops.

Adam Ingram: There is no universally accepted definition of the phrase "weapons of mass destruction", but it is generally held to refer to nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.
	Planning for operations takes account of all relevant factors, including the weaponry that may be used against United Kingdom forces.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment has been made of the viability of aerial crop spraying on areas of poppy cultivation in Afghanistan; and what impact this is likely to have on (a) the environment, (b) human health and (c) animal health.

Bill Rammell: The UK supports the Afghan Government's National Drug Control Strategy. The viability of aerial eradication of the opium poppy crop is a matter for the Afghan Government. There are a number of issues to consider before a country decides to go down this path.

Afghanistan

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next expects to publish figures for the poppy harvest in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: We understand that the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is planning to publish the results of its 2003–04 Afghan Opium Survey on 18 November.

Anguilla

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Anguilla's draft constitution.

Bill Rammell: A Constitutional and Electoral Reform Committee in Anguilla was appointed and the review formally launched in February 2002. Public consultation was extensive but work is now on hold pending the general election due in March 2005.

Athens 2004

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the UK ambassador to Greece has been commissioned to write a report on the strengths and weaknesses of the Athens 2004 Olympic and Paralympic games.

Denis MacShane: Her Majesty's ambassador to Greece has, over recent months and years, reported in detail on aspects of the 2004 Olympics relevant to the Government.

Bahá'i Community

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of Iran on the treatment of the Bahá'i community; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: We have serious concerns about the situation of the Bahá'i community in Iran, and have raised these concerns with the Iranian authorities on many occasions. With our strong support, the rights of Iran's religious minorities including the Bahá'is have been an important theme of the EU/Iran human rights dialogue, including the most recent round in June.

Colombia

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Colombia; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: Human rights form an integral part of our policy towards Colombia. We keep the human rights situation in the country under constant review. We recognise that there have been some improvements but much still needs to be done. We work closely with the Colombian Government, EU and other partners, including civil society, to try to achieve this further improvement. We regularly urge the Colombian Government to meet UN recommendations on human rights and are working with them to achieve this goal. As part of this co-operation, we were pleased to host the meeting of international support for Colombia held in London in July 2003. This resulted in the London Declaration, a key text that guides international support. We are working with the Colombians and other partners in the run-up to the follow-up meeting to the London meeting to be held in Colombia in February 2005.

Colombia

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many units of the Colombian military receive British training; and whether this training includes (a) education in respecting human rights and (b) training in humanitarian policing.

Bill Rammell: British military training is predominantly provided to selected individuals from the Colombian military. However, we do provide explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) training to Colombian EOD units.
	Professional training provided to Colombian officers routinely incorporates human rights education. Under the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Human Rights Project Fund, we recently had a project to raise awareness of the armed forces on their role in the prevention of displacement and the protection of the rights of the internally displaced population. We also have an ongoing project on human rights training for the military through the Colombian military justice school.
	The Colombian military receives no direct policing training from the UK although two Colombian officers attended a UK International Peace Support Briefing Programme which included humanitarian policing issues.

Correspondence

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons his Department has not replied to the letter of 7 July to UKvisas from the hon. Member for Aylesbury about the case of Mr. S. M., husband of Mrs. S. K. of Aylesbury (reference numbers M1232921/3 and PO 4649/04); and when he expects to send a substantive reply.

Chris Mullin: UKvisas replied to the hon. Member on 11 November.

Departmental Advertising/Estate

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost of (a) creative work, (b) media spend and (c) administration for his Department's advertising activity has been in each financial year since 1997–98, broken down by contractor.

Jack Straw: As set out in my reply to the right hon. and learned Member for Devizes (Mr. Ancram) on 20 July 2004, Official Report, column 171W, in FY 2002–03—the most recent year for which audited figures are available—separately identifiable expenditure by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on UK advertising totalled £743,783. Of this, £716,234 related to media spend on advertising for recruitment purposes. The balance related to consular media advertisements, which aimed to raise awareness among the British public of the importance of being properly prepared before travelling overseas and to advertising of the FCO's public open days.
	The FCO does not maintain separate records of expenditure for the creative, media, and administration components of its advertising activity. The FCO's overseas posts and its non-departmental public bodies also incur advertising costs. Information about these costs could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	The FCO's records of expenditure on advertising for the financial years from FY 1997–98 are not held centrally. Figures for these years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Advertising/Estate

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the properties occupied by (a) his Department and (b) its agencies in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2004, showing (A) for each and (B) in aggregate the area; and what in aggregate the annual rental value was.

Bill Rammell: The details given relate only to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) estate in the UK. The work involved in assembling similar data for all the properties that our posts lease overseas would incur disproportionate costs.
	
		UK properties occupied by FCO in 1997
		
			  m(32) letting area Rent per annum £ 
		
		
			 Old Admiralty Building (vacant, being refurbished)(31) 13,933 — 
			 Main Building (King Charles Street)(31) 39,104 — 
			 1 Palace Street, SW1 17,186 4,462,500 
			 20 Victoria Street, SW1 1,281 250,000 
			 Cromwell House, Dean Stanley Street, SW1 2,500 1,020,000 
			 8 Cleveland Row, SW1 394 205,280 
			 Apollo House, Croydon 3,116 395,811 
			 1 Carlton Gardens, SW1 2,483 15,255 
			 Hanslope Park, Milton Keynes(31) 24,406 — 
			 Lancaster House, Stable Yard, SW1 3,412 479,583 
			 Clive House, Petty France, SW1 (31)— 122,180 
			 2–4 Central Buildings, Matthew Parker Street, SW1 7,005 868,400 
			 Total 114,820 7,818,979 
		
	
	(31) Owned properties.
	(32) Unavailable.
	
		UK properties occupied by FCO in 2004
		
			  m(34) letting area Rent per annum £ 
		
		
			 Old Admiralty Building(33) 13,933 — 
			 Main Building(33) 39,104 — 
			 Hanslope Park(33) 24,406 — 
			 Lancaster House 3,412 490,000 
			 89 Albert Embankment 1,259 233,250 
			 Apollo House 3,116 438,083 
			 Carlton Gardens 2,483 162,000 
			 Total 87,713 1,323,333 
		
	
	(33) Owned properties.
	
		(b)
		
			  m(35) letting area Rent per annum £ 
		
		
			 (i) Properties occupied by agencies in 1997: 
			 Wiston House (34)1,696 (35)62,500 
			 (ii) Properties occupied by agencies in 2004: 
			 Wiston House (34)1,696 (35)80,000 
		
	
	(34) Figure used for non-domestic rating purposes.
	(35) Excluding VAT.

Embassy Costs

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the running costs of each British high commission and embassy in the latest year for which figures are available.

Bill Rammell: The net running costs of each British high commission and embassy, for the latest years for which figures are available, are listed in the following tables together with the year to which they relate.
	
		
			  High commission name £ million 
		
		
			 2003–04 Abuja 8.3 
			 2003–04 Accra 4.8 
			 2003–04 Bandar Seri Begawan 1.3 
			 2003–04 Banjul .7 
			 2003–04 Belmopan 2.5 
			 2003–04 Bridgetown 2.6 
			 2003–04 Canberra .1 
			 2002–03 Castries .3 
			 2002–03 Colombo 2.1 
			 2003–04 Dar es Salaam 1.6 
			 2002–03 Dhaka 2.8 
			 2003–04 Freetown 1.8 
			 2003–04 Gaborone .8 
			 2002–03 Georgetown 1.0 
			 2003–04 Harare 2.3 
			 2003–04 Honiara .5 
			 2002–03 Islamabad 6.3 
			 2003–04 Kampala 2.4 
			 2002–03 Kingston 2.9 
			 2002–03 Kingstown .3 
			 2003–04 Kuala Lumpur 4.2 
			 2003–04 Lilongwe 1.4 
			 2003–04 Lusaka 1.7 
			 2003–04 Maputo 5.1 
			 2003–04 Mbabane .7 
			 2003–04 Nairobi 3.7 
			 2003–04 Nassau .9 
			 2002–03 New Delhi 8.1 
			 2003–04 Nicosia 3.0 
			 2003–04 Nuku'Alofa .3 
			 2003–04 Ottawa 2.1 
			 2003–04 Port Louis .9 
			 2003–04 Port Moresby .8 
			 2002–03 Port of Spain 1.6 
			 2003–04 Pretoria 1.6 
			 2003–04 Singapore 4.7 
			 2002–03 St. Georges .4 
			 2003–04 St. Johns 1.4 
			 2003–04 Suva 1.2 
			 2003–04 Valletta 1.9 
			 2003–04 Victoria .7 
			 2003–04 Wellington 1.2 
			 2003–04 Windhoek .6 
			 2003–04 Yaounde 1.5 
		
	
	
		
			  Embassy name £ million 
		
		
			 2003–04 Abidjan 2.9 
			 2003–04 Abu Dhabi 1.4 
			 2003–04 Addis Ababa 4.8 
			 2003–04 Algiers 1.3 
			 2003–04 Almaty 1.6 
			 2003–04 Amman 2.9 
			 2003–04 Ankara 4.9 
			 2003–04 Antanarivo .7 
			 2002–03 Ascuncion .5 
			 2003–04 Ashgabat 1.3 
			 2003–04 Asmara .4 
			 2003–04 Athens 6.4 
			 2003–04 Baghdad 5.6 
			 2003–04 Bahrain 1.4 
			 2003–04 Baku 2.4 
			 2003–04 Bangkok 2.3 
			 2003–04 Beijing 11.4 
			 2003–04 Beirut 3.3 
			 2003–04 Belgrade 4.6 
			 2003–04 Berlin 11.3 
			 2003–04 Berne 3.5 
			 2003–04 Bishkek .2 
			 2002–03 Bogota 3.7 
			 2003–04 Brasilia 4.3 
			 2003–04 Bratislava 1.2 
			 2003–04 Brussels 6.1 
			 2003–04 Bucharest 1.7 
			 2003–04 Budapest 4.0 
			 2003–04 Buenos Aires 3.8 
			 2003–04 Cairo 3.8 
			 2002–03 Caracas 2.9 
			 2003–04 Chisinau 1.0 
			 2003–04 Conakry .1 
			 2003–04 Copenhagen 3.7 
			 2003–04 Dakar 1.2 
			 2003–04 Damascus 2.2 
			 2003–04 Dili .0 
			 2003–04 Doha 1.4 
			 2003–04 Dubai 1.0 
			 2003–04 Dublin 3.9 
			 2003–04 Dushanbe 1.3 
			 2002–03 Guatemala City 1.6 
			 2003–04 Hanoi 2.0 
			 2002–03 Havana 1.8 
			 2003–04 Helsinki 3.6 
			 2003–04 Holy See .3 
			 2003–04 Jakarta 5.7 
			 2002–03 Kathmandu 1.3 
			 2003–04 Khartoum 2.6 
			 2002–03 Kiev 3.1 
			 2003–04 Kigali 1.0 
			 2003–04 Kinshasa 1.4 
			 2003–04 Kuwait .8 
			 2003–04 LaPaz 1.0 
			 2002–03 Lima 3.2 
			 2003–04 Lisbon 4.2 
			 2003–04 Ljubljana 1.5 
			 2003–04 Luanda 2.2 
			 2003–04 Luxembourg 1.1 
			 2003–04 Madrid 9.5 
			 2003–04 Manila 1.5 
			 2003–04 Maseru .9 
			 2002–03 Mexico City 4.1 
			 2003–04 Minsk .7 
			 2003–04 Monrovia .4 
			 2002–03 Montevideo 1.3 
			 2003–04 Moscow 10.5 
			 2003–04 Muscat 2.0 
			 2003–04 Oslo 3.1 
			 2002–03 Panama City .9 
			 2003–04 Paris 17.8 
			 2003–04 Phnom Penh 1.1 
			 2003–04 Prague 2.7 
			 2003–04 Pyongyang 1.1 
			 2002–03 Quito 1.3 
			 2003–04 Rabat 1.9 
			 2003–04 Rangoon 1.3 
			 2003–04 Reykjavik .7 
			 2003–04 Riga 1.4 
			 2003–04 Riyadh 2.9 
			 2003–04 Rome 8.7 
			 2002–03 San Jose .6 
			 2002–03 San Salvador .8 
			 2003–04 Sana'A 2.0 
			 2002–03 Santiago 2.7 
			 2002–03 Santo Domingo .6 
			 2003–04 Sarajevo 3.1 
			 2003–04 Seoul 5.6 
			 2003–04 Skopje 3.3 
			 2003–04 Sofia 1.6 
			 2003–04 Stockholm 3.8 
			 2003–04 Tallinn 1.3 
			 2003–04 Tashkent 1.8 
			 2003–04 Tehran 2.5 
			 2003–04 Tel Aviv 4.1 
			 2003–04 The Hague 4.5 
			 2003–04 Tokyo 17.0 
			 2003–04 Tripoli 2.3 
			 2003–04 Tunis 1.6 
			 2003–04 Tunis 1.6 
			 2003–04 Ulaanbaatar .6 
			 2003–04 Vienna 5.4 
			 2003–04 Vientiane .1 
			 2003–04 Vilnius 1.2 
			 2003–04 Warsaw 4.8 
			 2003–04 Washington 9.7 
			 2003–04 Yerevan 1.1 
			 2003–04 Zagreb 2.4

Green Ministers

John Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Green Ministers his Department has had since 1997.

Bill Rammell: There have been four Green Ministers in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office since 1997.

Iraq

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his reply of 26 October 2004, Official Report, column 1177W, reference 191798, if he will list the UN sanctions that had collapsed by August 2001, referred to in paragraph 3, page 3 of ISG Regime Finance and Procurement.

Bill Rammell: The former Iraqi regime worked hard to bring about an end to sanctions, and claims about their failure were part of the former regime's strategy to influence UN member states. The former Iraqi regime undoubtedly undermined sanctions, including by corrupting the Oil for Food Programme to generate illicit revenue, and by smuggling goods to and from Iraq. Such practices are being investigated by the independent inquiry appointed by the UN Secretary General in April 2004.
	The UN Security Council lifted sanctions against Iraq under resolution 1483 of 22 May 2003, with the exception of the arms embargo and certain financial restrictions against individuals and entities of the former Iraqi regime.

Israel/Palestine

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment has been made by the European Union of the cost of damage to EU-funded projects in the Palestinian Territories resulting from Israeli military action.

Bill Rammell: The European Commission (EC) maintain an audit of damage to EC and member state financed projects as a result of Israeli security measures during the intifada. The value of damaged projects funded by the European Union (either bilaterally by member states or by the EC) is €26.5 million.
	We have made representations to the Israeli authorities at the highest level expressing our grave concern at the damage sustained by Palestinian civilians and institutions as a result of Israel Defence Forces activity. The EU has also made representations to the Israeli authorities and has reserved the right to demand compensation from Israel for damage to EU financed projects.

Lisbon Agenda

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with Mr. Wim Kok in connection with his progress report on the Lisbon agenda.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary saw Mr. Kok at the European Council on 4 November, where Mr. Kok's progress report on the Lisbon agenda was discussed. My right hon. Friends the Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions attended the Tripartite Social Summit earlier that day, where the report was also discussed. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister met with Mr. Kok on 26 August and at the European Council on 4–5 November.

Lisbon Agenda

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress towards the Lisbon agenda.

Denis MacShane: I refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's Statement to the House on 8 November 2004, Official Report, column 570, following Wim Kok's presentation to the European Council on progress on the Lisbon agenda. The Government set out their priorities for European economic reform in their progress report in February and their vision for a more focussed, results-oriented Lisbon process in a paper submitted to Mr. Kok and EU partners in June. Copies are available in the Library of the House.

London 2012

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans there are to publicise the London 2012 Olympic bid in (a) UK embassies, high commissions and consulate offices and (b) the offices of the British Council after 15 November.

Bill Rammell: My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Rammell) wrote to all British Heads of Mission whose host countries have nationals on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on 27 September 2004 asking them to provide detailed action plans on how they intend to support and publicise the bid locally. These plans are currently being assessed and will be implemented on 16 November once the IOC rules of international promotion are relaxed. As a minimum posts will conduct public awareness campaigns using local media, post websites and displays of publicity material provided by London 2012.
	Sir David Green, Director General of the British Council, will have written by 16 November to all British Council offices in countries with an IOC member to outline how they can support and publicise the bid. British Council offices will liaise with our posts on this issue to ensure our plans complement each other.

London 2012

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what briefing papers have been made available to UK ambassadors and high commissioners about the London 2012 Olympic bid; and if he will place all such papers in the Library.

Bill Rammell: Foreign and Commonwealth Office missions whose host governments have nationals on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have been provided with briefing papers on London's bid. These papers have been placed in the Library of the House.

London 2012

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether a specific member of the Diplomatic Service has been earmarked in each of the bidding cities for the 2012 Olympics to follow the progress of their bids.

Bill Rammell: Following the short listing of candidate cities on 18 May 2004 Paris, Madrid, Moscow and New York appointed a dedicated point of contact to follow progress on rival city bids. British diplomatic missions in countries with nationals on the International Olympic Committee, each have appointed a member of staff to monitor local perceptions of both London's and rival city bids.

Select Committee Recommendations

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many recommendations by parliamentary select committees have been adopted by his Department since June 2001.

Jack Straw: Officials, Ministers and I all take seriously the recommendations of all relevant Select Committee reports, and seek to implement them whenever we can. No response to any such recommendations is made to Parliament without scrutiny by Ministers, normally me. However, the information requested by my hon. Friend is not held centrally and the cost of compiling such information would incur disproportionate costs.

Southern Thailand

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment has been made of (a) the extent of Islamic fundamentalism in southern Thailand, (b) the threat that Islamic fundamentalism may pose to the security and stability of Thailand and (c) the possible implications of Thai instability for British interests in the wider region.

Douglas Alexander: We are concerned by the separatist violence and related deaths in southern Thailand. We remain in close contact with the Thai Government about the situation.
	The vast majority of Thailand's Muslims are opposed to extremism and terrorism. We believe, however, that there are a number of small domestic extremist groups involved in terrorist activity in southern Thailand. Terrorism is a challenge to the peace and security of Thailand.
	We believe that separatist violence is unlikely to move beyond the borders of Thailand. Our travel advice for Thailand reflects our assessment of the implications for the security of British nationals. We currently recommend against all but essential travel to the far southern provinces of Pattani, Yala, Nathariwat and Songkhla. The travel advice is regularly reviewed.

Spain

Candy Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Spanish authorities in relation to (a) Mr. Peter Devlin and (b) other Cornish divers awaiting trial in Galicia.

Douglas Alexander: Peter Devlin and three other divers from Force 9 Salvage were arrested on 20 June 2002 and released the same day. The Spanish investigation is continuing and the divers have not yet been formally charged. On 9 September 2002, our Honorary Consul in Vigo made representations on behalf of Peter Devlin and the other divers to the Court in La Coruna about the return of some of the company's diving equipment. The court agreed to release equipment not related to the investigation, but we understand not all the requested equipment has been returned. Our Honorary Consul in Vigo has also made enquiries, most recently on 5 November 2004, to the Spanish Navy Commander in Galicia and the President of the Supreme Court in Galicia. Consular officials will continue to monitor the case and provide all proper consular assistance.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Sudan about the alleged torture of five men belonging to the Missairiyah tribe by Musa Easa, Salah Eldin Shukry, Mounas Bashar and Tigany in July 2003.

Chris Mullin: In the absence of the names of the alleged victims, neither we nor Sudanese human rights organisations, with whom we work closely, are able to trace these cases.
	However, we make regular representations to the Government of Sudan about the need for them to respect the human rights of all prisoners held in its jails. During my visit to Sudan in September, I pressed Sudanese Justice Minister Yassin on the need to ratify the UN Convention Against Torture as soon as possible. I understand that a draft law is currently before the Council of Ministers.

Sudan

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the effects of the delay in deployment of additional ceasefire monitors by the African Union to Darfur; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: On 20 October the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council endorsed a plan to expand the current mission from less than 500 troops to more than 3,000 over the next four months. This deployment has been expedited, and in recent days a significant number of Rwandan and Nigerian troops have arrived in Darfur.
	As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced in Addis Ababa on 7 October, the UK will provide £12 million to support the rapid deployment of the expanded mission. We are working closely with the AU and other donors to ensure that the infrastructure is in place to ensure these personnel can be fully deployed on arrival in Addis Ababa.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what evidence he has received that African Union monitors are present in every administrative unit in Darfur.

Chris Mullin: African Union (AU) ceasefire monitors are currently deployed across six sectors of operation (out of a total of 20) in all three states of Darfur. Following expansion of the African Union force in Sudan, over 3,000 troops will be deployed across eight sectors covering the whole of Darfur. This substantial increase in troop numbers will allow the AU to carry out a more proactive monitoring role.

Terrorism

Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the agreement signed between residents at Camp Ashraf and the multi-national forces in Iraq rejecting participation in, or support for, terrorism; and whether signatories to it are still proscribed under the Terrorism Act 2000.

Bill Rammell: The US authorities, who provide security at the Mojahedin-e Khalq (MeK) base at Camp Ashraf, have informed us that most residents of Ashraf have signed a statement renouncing terrorism and pledging not to take up arms illegally. We have noted this. But it does not change our assessment of the MeK, which takes into account all the evidence, including the MeK's long history of brutal terrorist violence, and the fact that it did not disarm voluntarily.
	Under the Terrorism Act 2000, it is organisations, not individuals, which may be proscribed. The MeK continues to be so proscribed. Among other provisions of the Act, a person commits an offence if s/he belongs to, professes to belong to, or invites support for a proscribed organisation.

Thailand

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Prime Minister of Thailand concerning the release on bail of Somchai Wisetsingha, who has admitted shooting Vanessa Arscott of Ashburton, Devon; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: Our ambassador in Thailand raised our concern at the release on bail of Somchai Wisetsingh with the Thai Foreign Minister on 11 November.
	Vanessa Arscott and Adam Lloyd were victims of a senseless murder and our sympathy remains with their families and friends. We hope the judicial process will proceed swiftly and that justice will be served. We remain in contact with the Thais on this case.

UK Detainees (United States)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how frequently on average members of the United Kingdom diplomatic staff visited British citizens detained by the United States Administration in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: We do not keep statistics for the average frequency of visits carried out by our diplomatic staff to British nationals detained by the US authorities. Our prison visiting policy for the US obliges staff to make contact with detained British nationals in the US within 48-hours of notification of an arrest. Detainees are also visited—by both diplomatic and locally engaged staff—usually after sentencing and thereafter if a particular need arises.
	British officials have also made nine welfare visits to the British nationals detained by the US authorities at Guantanamo Bay since January 2002.

UK Detainees (United States)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many United Kingdom citizens are detained by the United States authorities (a) in the United States and (b) in another country; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: The number of British nationals detained by the United States authorities in the US as at 30 June 2004 (the latest date for which figures are available) was 717.
	There are also four British nationals detained by the US administration at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Venezuela

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of human rights in Venezuela since the recall referendum in August.

Bill Rammell: We constantly monitor the human rights situation in Venezuela and have continued to do so following the presidential referendum in August. Our ambassador in Caracas has regular meetings with his EU counterparts and human rights frequently form a significant part of the discussions. In common with EU partners, we are following carefully the potential human rights implications of the Venezuelan Government's proposals to adopt new legislation on the media, and to increase the number of judges in the Supreme Court. We work with the Venezuelan authorities, NGOs and other donors on human rights issues. More information on our in-country activities can be found on the British embassy Caracas web-site, http://www.britain.org.ve/. These pages contain summaries of recent human rights projects supported by the embassy.

Voting Rights

Marion Roe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Commonwealth countries grant rights to British citizens to vote in elections in their country equivalent to the rights available to Commonwealth citizens in the UK.

Chris Mullin: holding answer 11 November 2004
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has no information on the voting rights of British nationals in other Commonwealth countries. The voting rights of overseas nationals in Commonwealth countries are a matter for the country concerned.

War on Terrorism

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on discussions with G8 members on a strategy to fight terrorism.

Denis MacShane: holding answer 10 November 2004
	Work on counter-terrorism will form an important element of the UK's forthcoming G8 presidency. This will include implementing commitments the G8 has made at past summits, notably the Secure and Facilitated Travel Initiative agreed at Sea Island in June 2004.

Zimbabwe

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of the political situation in Zimbabwe.

Chris Mullin: The political situation in Zimbabwe continues to deteriorate in the run up to the March 2005 parliamentary elections. Opposition, independent media and civil society are subject to political intimidation and violence and are targeted by repressive legislation. We will together with our international partners continue to press the Government of Zimbabwe to end these violations and restore democracy and the rule of law.

Zimbabwe

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plan he has to (a) strengthen and (b) extend sanctions in respect of named individuals associated with President Mugabe.

Chris Mullin: We and our EU partners increased from 79 to 95 the number of Zimbabweans subject to targeted EU measures in February 2004. We continue to keep these measures and those subject to them under constant review.

Zimbabwe

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions (a) he and (b) other Ministers have had over the last three months with African leaders in respect of the situation in Zimbabwe.

Chris Mullin: We regularly make our concerns about Zimbabwe clear to African leaders. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed Zimbabwe with President Mbeki of South Africa at the UN General Assembly in September and during his visit to South Africa in August. The Foreign Secretary discussed Zimbabwe with the Mauritian Foreign Minister, Cutteree, on 9 October. I discussed Zimbabwe with the Zambian Finance Minister, Magande, and with President Mutharika of Malawi on 20 September.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Consultants

Julian Lewis: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many consultancy firms or companies have been retained by the Department or its predecessors since June 2001; what the projects are for which each has been retained; and what the total is of the fees paid or incurred in each case.

David Lammy: I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon (Mr. Maples), 11 November 2004, Official Report, column 852W.

Criminal Offences (Convictions)

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many convictions for criminal offences were determined by (a) magistrates and (b) other courts in York in each year since 1997.

Paul Goggins: I have been asked to reply.
	The information collected centrally via the Home Office Court Proceedings database on the number of offenders convicted of criminal offences by magistrates and other courts in York is contained in the table.
	
		The number of offenders convicted of criminal offences by courts in York 1997–2002 1
		
			  Magistrates court Crown court 
		
		
			 1997 3,771 480 
			 1998 3,957 466 
			 1999 4,454 459 
			 2000 3,195 510 
			 2001 2,919 497 
			 2002 2,425 509 
		
	
	(36) These data are on the principal offence basis.
	Statistics for 2003 will be available in November.

Departmental Offices

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the cost of (a) decoration and (b) refurbishment of the London offices of the Department was in each of the last four years.

David Lammy: In the last four years, my Department has spent the following amounts on (a) decoration and (b) refurbishment of our London offices.
	
		£
		
			  (a) Decoration (b) Refurbishment 
		
		
			 2000–01 79,610 234,640 
			 2001–02 102,334 601,616 
			 2002–03 165,870 488,880 
			 2003–04 274,482 1,205,358 
		
	
	The response above covers the London offices of the DCA HQ, Court Service, PGO and DCA associated offices. It does not cover specialist Court buildings nor the House of Lords, which will be covered by the response from the Parliamentary Works Committee. The offices referred to are:
	Selborne House, Southside (part), 81 Chancery Lane, Conquest House, Millbank Tower (part), 30 Millbank (5th Floor), Steel House, Clive House, Archway Tower, Roger Street, Red Lion Street, Grays Inn Road, Farringdon Road, Maltravers Street and New Cavendish House.

Departmental Staff

Tim Loughton: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many people in his Department earn more than a whole-time equivalent salary of £57,485 per year.

David Lammy: I refer the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 11 November 2004, Official Report, column 856W.

Legal Aid

David Marshall: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the total cost of legal aid was in each of the last 10 years.

David Lammy: Net legal aid expenditure in the United Kingdom (England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) over the last ten years was:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1994–95 1,443 
			 1995–96 1,542 
			 1996–97 1,636 
			 1997–98 1,691 
			 1998–99 1,783 
			 1999–2000 1,706 
			 2000–01 1,823 
			 2001–02 1,886 
			 2002–03 2,089 
			 2003–04 2,282 
		
	
	Note:
	These figures are in cash.

Press Releases

Pete Wishart: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many press releases have been issued by his Department in each month of 2004; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend, the Minister for the Cabinet Office on the 11 November 2004, Official Report, column 857W.

TV Licences (Search Warrants)

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what standard of evidence is required for a magistrates court to issue a search warrant relating to television licensing under section 366 of the Communications Act 2003.

Christopher Leslie: A search warrant to allow authorised officials to enter a person's home or vehicle is issued by a Justice of the Peace on the basis of written information and where necessary verbal information provided to the court on oath. This written information must disclose reasonable grounds that an offence is being or has been committed under section 363 of the Communications Act 2003. The court also needs to be satisfied that the European Convention on Human Rights has been met.
	The issue of a search warrant is a judicial decision made on a case by case basis on information presented to the court under oath. Justices of the Peace have discretion to grant or refuse the application.

Witness Intimidation

Graham Allen: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many persons were convicted of offences of intimidation or harming of witnesses in each year since 2001; and how many of those received a custodial sentence.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 26 October 2004
	I have been asked to reply.
	Statistics of persons (a) convicted and (b) given a custodial sentence for offences of intimidation or harming of witnesses are contained in the table.
	Statistics for 2003 will be published in November.
	
		Number of persons found guilty and sentenced to custody at all courts for offences of Attempting to Pervert the Course of Public Justice England and Wales 2001 to 2002 1
		
			 Offence description Statute Year Found guilty Custodial sentence 
		
		
			 Attempting to Pervert the Course of Public Justice (Fabrication of false evidence, cause person to be wrongly convicted, interference with witness, etc.) Common Law 2001 1,798 924 
			   2002 1,549 737 
			  
			 Intimidating a juror or witness or person assisting in investigation of offenders Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 section 51(1) 2001 348 174 
			   2002 415 187 
			  
			 Harming or threatening to harm a juror, witness or person assisting in investigation of offences Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 section 51(2) 2001 76 30 
			   2002 65 34 
			  
			 Intimidating or intending to intimidate a witness Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 section 39 2001 — — 
			   2002 3 2 
			  
			 Harming or intending to harm a witness Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 section 40 2001 — — 
			   2002 1 — 
		
	
	(37) These data are on the principal offence basis.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Employment Rights

Mohammad Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to bring forward legislation to establish employment rights for migrant workers.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Migrant workers, working legally in the UK, have access to the same employment rights as equivalent indigenous workers.

Oil rigs

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the oil rigs which fall under UK jurisdiction; which police authority is responsible for each; and if she will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: Oil drilling rigs are active on the UK continental shelf (UKCS)—but by their nature are mobile. In addition to the drilling rigs there were 268 production installations in the UKCS as of October 2004. A full list is available and updated regularly on my Department's Oil and Gas website, www.og.dti.gov.uk. A copy has also been placed in the Library of the House. For the purposes of oil and gas activities all of these platforms and installations fall under UK jurisdiction. In the interests of security, the policing arrangements for the UK's offshore installations are not disclosed.

Binge Drinking

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received about the amendment of competition legislation to allow binge drinking to be curbed by the imposition of minimum alcohol prices.

Gerry Sutcliffe: In the context of inter-departmental discussions about tackling problems associated with excessive alcohol consumption, the Home Office has consulted the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) at both official and Ministerial level about competition law issues, including whether agreements on minimum prices for alcoholic drinks could be excluded from prohibition under Chapter One of the Competition Act 1998. DTI has received no separate representations on this issue.

ECGD (Anti-corruption)

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which companies (a) she, (b) her Ministers, (c) her Department's staff and (d) Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) staff have met since January to discuss the anti-corruption procedures brought into force by the ECGD on 1 May; and on how many occasions meetings have been held in each case.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 8 November 2004
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 27 October 2004, Official Report, column 1241W. During the period in question representatives of BAES and Rolls-Royce were present at six such meetings; Airbus were present at five.

EU Presidency (Greece)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU (a) the Committee for the implementation of projects, actions and measures for the interoperability of trans-European networks for the interchange of data between administration and (b) the Standing Committee for veterinary medicinal products met; when and where each meeting took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations the Committee produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of the Committee's recommendations; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
	The first committee referred to appears to relate to the European Commission's Interchange of Data between Administrations (IDA) programme, to which the Department has no direct input. This programme funds projects allowing Member State Governments to exchange data electronically in specified policy areas as required by European legislation and develops infrastructure to allow this. The Telematics between Administrations Committee (TAG) is the management committee for IDA. Advice for the TAG is prepared by the Working Group for Horizontal Actions and Measures, which meets on average six times each year and is not a decision-making body. The UK is represented by officials from the e-Government Unit, formerly the Office of the e-Envoy. As IDA is a Commission programme, the rotating Council Presidency bears no relevance to IDA work. Minutes are taken by the Commission's IDA unit within DG Enterprise. However, my Department has long been a key beneficiary of IDA projects and user of IDA services as EU member states are required to share information with each other relating to agricultural issues such as animal medicines and diseases.
	The Standing Committee on Veterinary Medicinal Products for the Adaptation to Technical Progress on the Removal of Technical Barriers to Trade in the Veterinary Medicinal Products Sector is a regulatory committee and does not, therefore, make recommendations. It met three times during the Greek Presidency. Meetings were held in Brussels on 10 February 2003, 3 April 2003 and 9 April 2003 and were attended by officials from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate.
	At the meeting on 10 February a proposed increase to the fees charged by the European Medicines Evaluation Agency for work related to European marketing authorisations was considered and approved. A Commission proposal to add entries to Annex III of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2377/90, establishing maximum residue limits (MRLs) for three hormonal substances was considered. The UK argued that setting MRLs was not an appropriate way of controlling illicit use of the hormones but, in the circumstances, could accept the proposed entries for the synthetic hormones flugestone acetate and norgestomet as a one-off decision. However, the UK argued that it could not accept the proposed entry for progesterone as the proposal was not based on sound science and the proposed limit was below the level that could occur naturally. The Commission withdrew the proposal for progesterone. The proposals for flugestone acetate and norgestomet were approved and entries were subsequently added to Annex III to the Regulation.
	The meeting of 3 April considered two proposed Commission Regulations intended to revoke and replace two Regulations setting out procedures for variations to marketing authorisations for veterinary medicinal products issued under the European centralised and decentralised authorisation procedures respectively. The UK argued for several textual amendments to the proposed Regulations, most of which were accepted. The Regulations, as modified, were approved by the Committee and were published in the Official Journal on 27 June 2003 as Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1084/2003 and No. 1085/2003. They took effect on 1 October 2003.
	The meeting of 9 April considered a Commission proposal that member states should suspend all national marketing authorisations for veterinary medicinal products in the EU containing benzathine penicillin. This issue was triggered following suspension action by the UK because of safety concerns about residues of the substance at injection sites in food-producing animals. The UK supported the Commission proposal, which was approved by the Committee.

European Union (Economic Effect)

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many jobs in (a) Yorkshire and the Humber and (b) York she estimates are dependent on exports to or investment from other EU states.

Douglas Alexander: Information is not held in the form requested. However, international trade in goods accounts for 20 per cent. of the Yorkshire and Humber region's GDP, representing £9.1 billion per annum.
	There are approximately 164,000 businesses in the Yorkshire and Humber region, of which 8,000–10,000 are estimated to export goods and services.

Gas

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the wholesale price of gas was in each month during the last two years.

Mike O'Brien: The majority of gas is traded under individual commercially confidential contracts. However, National Grid Transco (NGT) publishes System Average Price data, which is the price set by all NGT and shipper trades on the wholesale gas on-the-day commodity market (OCM) on a given day. Monthly averages for the last two years are recorded in the table. Individual contracts may reflect factors other than this spot price.
	
		Monthly average of System Average Price (SAP) from November 2002 to October 2004 -- p/therm
		
			  2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 November 17.46 27.05 
			 December 19.23 29.60 
			 January 21.73 25.85 
			 February 21.93 23.16 
			 March 17.77 21.71 
			 April 17.82 20.52 
			 May 18.72 20.62 
			 June 15.17 19.40 
			 July 16.85 19.09 
			 August 13.38 23.60 
			 September 14.14 27.71 
			 October 22.80 22.80

Gas

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what procedures are used to assess the risk of terrorist attack to the (a) Bacton to Zeebrugge and (b) St Fergus to Frigg gas interconnectors.

Mike O'Brien: The assessment of the threat posed by terrorists to the UK is kept under constant review by her Majesty's Government. The review applies to the whole of the critical national infrastructure. The security of gas interconnectors and other pipelines is a key part of that work. It would not be appropriate for me to comment in further detail.

Internet Access

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of changes in UK productivity as a result of increased (a) dial-up and (b) broadband internet access.

Mike O'Brien: The economic impact of increased internet access is difficult to separate from the impact of adoption of the full range of information and communication technologies (ICT). Indeed, there is a consensus both that the use of ICT has been and will continue to be a major contributor to productivity growth, and that its full value is realised by using a mix of the technologies to transform the way that organisations perform their business.
	An assessment of the increase in business productivity associated with increased use of a range of ICTs was published in DTI Economics Paper No. 8: "Raising UK productivity—developing the evidence base for policy". This found that in 1995–2000 the growth in labour productivity in ICT-using industries was 3.72 per cent. p.a. compared with 0.20 per cent. p.a. for non-ICT industries. This study also showed that, based on results of DTI s "International Benchmarking Study: Business in the Information Age" and controlling for other variables, the average sales per employee was significantly and positively related to the intensity of use of connectivity technologies (including internet access).
	The most recent International Benchmarking Study (2004) found that businesses that have upgraded their internet connection over the last two years reported a range of benefits. These included time savings through faster connection (79 per cent.), improved real time communication (17 per cent.), ability to use more applications (9 per cent.) and increased reliability (9 per cent.).
	These results are consistent with a range of research and surveys conducted by other organisations over the past few years. For example, the recent survey by the Institute of Directors ("Broadband: its impact on British Business") found that 84.3 per cent. of respondents who used broadband saw a quantifiable increase in productivity and about two thirds felt able to predict an increase in profit.

Job Creation (Lancashire)

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many jobs have been created by the (a) Heysham Business Park, (b) Mellishaw North and (c) Luneside West developments; how many jobs have been created by each development to be taken up by residents of communities in need; and what the estimated cost per job created by each development is.

Jacqui Smith: Heysham Business Park, Mellishaw North and Luneside West are sites with development potential located within the Lancaster and Morecambe economic development zone. Lancaster city council has encouraged the private sector site owners of each site to come forward with the appropriate development proposals that will lead to job creation. To date no suitable proposals have emerged and consequently there has been no recent job creation on these sites.
	The NWDA have maintained a regular dialogue with the site owners regarding the development of the sites. These discussions will continue, but much will hinge on the support of the private sector owners.
	Until such time as a development proposal crystallizes and the public sector contribution (if any) is identified and compared to the anticipated job creation for that proposal it is not possible to estimate costs per job.
	All sites identified are privately owned. With regards to Heysham Business Park, the NWDA, contacted the site owners about selling the site but this was not feasible. The owners of Luneside West are currently seeking to develop a planning application for housing which is not support by the NWDA. The owners of Mellingshaw North have expressed a wish to develop the site for alternate uses.
	The NWDA will continue to discuss the development of these sites with the owners. However the final decision will firmly lie with private sector owners.

Loan Debts

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment the Government has made of the judgment at Liverpool county court in the case of Meadows v. London North Securities; and if she will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: As the hon. Member is aware I am unable to intervene in individual cases such as this, which must be resolved by agreement between the parties or by recourse to the courts.
	We have been paying close attention to this case and I have written to John Vickers, Chair of the Office of Fair Trading, alerting him to the complaints made to me about this lender by a number of hon. Members.
	In order to ensure that in the future consumers are not faced with this situation we will be introducing the Consumer Credit Bill, once Parliamentary time permits. The Bill would widen consumer protections by replacing the current extortionate credit test with one of unfairness and introducing a compulsory Alternative Dispute Resolution scheme.

Loan Debts

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps her Department has taken since 1997 to restrict unscrupulous lending.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Under Section 21 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, a license is required to conduct consumer credit business or consumer hire business. To get a licence, applicants must satisfy the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) that they are fit persons to carry on licensed activities. If a licensee does not continue to act in a fit manner, OFT can revoke the licence.
	A 2001 Labour manifesto commitment to 'toughen the laws on rogue traders, unfair terms in contracts, and loan sharks', prompted the Department of Trade and Industry to launch a full scale review of the Consumer Credit Act.
	Following an extensive period of consultation with stakeholders—business, consumer groups and enforcement agencies, the Government produced a White Paper outlining proposals for reform.
	I laid four Statutory Instruments in June 2003, aimed at increasing transparency in the credit sector, enabling empowered consumers to make informed lending decisions.

Manufacturing

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much (a) was spent on business support by her Department in the most recent year for which figures are available, (b) spent on manufacturing support by her Department in the most recent year for which figures are available and (c) invested by the Government in manufacturing since 1997.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 21 October 2004
	The information requested is as follows:
	(a) The DTI spent approximately £0.5 billion on business support programmes in the year ending April 2004.
	(b) In addition to amount spent on business support, detailed above, the Department supports business through a number of different mechanisms such as regional selective assistance and initiatives on, for example, innovation, technology and best practice, for example SR 2004 allocated £320 million to the Technology Strategy. Whilst we will have aggregate data for each, collating how much was spent on manufacturing in total could be provided only at a disproportionate cost not least because of the complexity of the SIC codes.
	(c) RSA grants worth £2.2 billion were offered in the period April 1997 to April 2004, approximately 80 per cent. to manufacturing companies, securing £19.2 billion investment and safeguarding/creating 378,000 jobs. There are no figures available for the Government as a whole.

Palantype Reporting Machines

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to promote the continued manufacture of Palantype speech to text reporting machines; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The future of UK manufacturing depends on raising investment and applying science and innovation, best practice and skills to create even better products. In 2002 DTI published the Government's Manufacturing Strategy. In July this year we published "Competing in the Global Economy: The Manufacturing Strategy Two Years On"—an update on progress made against the key pillars that support manufacturing. We have provided strong macroeconomic stability; supported investment through changes to corporation tax, capital gains tax, Regional Selective Assistance, Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme and Regional Venture Capital Funds; launched the Manufacturing Advisory Service to ensure that manufacturers in every region have local access to practical advice from manufacturing experts; strengthened the UK's world class science base with the largest sustained increase in the Science Budget for over a decade, and enhanced knowledge transfer, so that manufacturers can capitalise upon the innovations it produces; implemented an innovation agenda extending the R&D tax credit to all companies, overwhelmingly benefiting manufacturers; put in place the Sector Skills Councils to lead the drive to significantly improved skills in industry, and strengthened the Modern Apprenticeship network; extended the Industry Forum best practice programme to new sectors—printing, process industries, general engineering, metals and food processing—increasing the reach of lean-manufacturing and world-class practices and set up Innovation and Growth Teams across key industries (including the automotive, aerospace, biosciences, and electronics sectors) to examine the factors affecting specific sectors, identify the challenges, and take action to respond to these challenges.
	It is clearly Government policy to support manufacturing. Individual companies, however, must make decisions based on business criteria. It is not for the Government to determine that a particular product must be made here.

Post Office

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much it cost to set up the Post Office Card Account scheme.

Gerry Sutcliffe: These are commercial matters for Post Office Ltd.

Post Office

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices were recommended for closure under the reinvention programme in the South West region; how many were opposed by Postwatch; and for how many the recommendation for closure was dropped.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Implementation of the urban post office network reinvention programme is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to respond direct to the hon. Member.

Post Office

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which Crown Post Offices in Essex have been selected for possible closure.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Government has no such list. Decisions on individual Post Office closures and conversions are operational and commercial matters for Post Office Ltd.
	Post Office Ltd has clarified in a letter of 3 November to all Members of Parliament that the company is working with the trade unions to develop proposals that will help address the significant losses generated by the network of directly d directly managed branches are expected to be closed in 2005/06 throughout the UK. The company will continue to seek to transfer operation of Directly Managed post offices to franchise partners where suitable opportunities arise, whilst ensuring that products and services for customers remain unchanged.

Royal Mail

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the cost to businesses of adapting or purchasing new franking machines to cope with the proposals of the Royal Mail to move to size-based pricing;
	(2)  what plans she has to inform consumers of the likely impact of the move to size-based pricing proposed by the Royal Mail;
	(3)  what estimate she has made of the cost to Royal Mail business customers of adapting to size-based pricing; and if she will make a statement;
	(4)  if she will assess the compliance of the Royal Mail's proposals for size-based pricing with paragraph 13, condition 19 of the Royal Mail's licence, with particular reference to the requirement that any alteration in pricing avoids unreasonable changes for users of the service; and if she will make a statement;
	(5)  what discussions she has had with Royal Mail concerning its proposals for size-based pricing; and if she will make a statement;
	(6)  what representations she has received concerning the Royal Mail's proposal to move to size-based pricing; and if she will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Royal Mail's application to introduce size-based pricing is currently being considered by the postal regulator, Postcomm. The progress made in considering the application and the assessment of the effect of size-based pricing are matters for Royal Mail and Postcomm.
	Postcomm is considering the large number of responses they received to their consultation on Royal Mail's proposals. In view of the complexity of the issues involved and the significant implications for many Royal Mail customers, Postcomm and Royal Mail have agreed that more time is required to assess the size-based pricing proposal. Accordingly, the earliest implementation date, if the application is allowed to proceed, will be April 2006.
	Postcomm will assess Royal Mail's proposals against the criteria in Paragraph 13 of Condition 19 of its licence, and take account of its regulatory duties under the Postal Services Act 2000, and Royal Mail's other licence requirements.

Wind Farms

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what means will be used to connect wind farms constructed in North Yorkshire to the National Grid.

Mike O'Brien: Applications to connect wind farm projects to the grid are treated in exactly the same way as any other form of electricity generation. Wind farm developers make applications to connect to either their local distribution network operator or to the transmission network operator and offers are made dependent on sufficient capacity being available on the grid.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Voluntary Sector (Hartlepool)

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much Government funding has been provided to the voluntary sector in Hartlepool since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: Information on Government funding of individual organisations within a local authority is not held centrally.
	The Home Office's report, on Central Government Funding to Voluntary and Community Organisations, 1982–83 to 2001–02, which is published on Wednesday 17 November, shows that from the most recent figures available, the North East Region received £111,593,938 in funding. This is equivalent to £44.30 per person.

Drug Dealing (Bassetlaw)

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests for drug dealing offences were made in Bassetlaw in the last three years for which figures are available.

Caroline Flint: Details of the number of arrests for drug dealing in Bassetlaw are not available.

International Students (Visas)

Alan Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the impact of increased visa extension charges on the number of applications by international students to study in the UK.

Des Browne: The Home Office has been conducting a review of charges for non-asylum immigration applications. We are currently consulting on new proposals to extend the principles of full cost recovery charging. The consultation document is available on the Home Office website and the deadline for responses is Wednesday 8 December 2004.
	In addition, I have asked a joint project team—comprising representatives from the Department for Education and Skills, the Home Office and the British Council—to produce an impact assessment. Work is currently underway to improve the evidence base and our understanding of the factors which influence international students' decisions to study in the UK.
	The outcome of the consultation and this work will be made available in the new year.

Knife Offences

Syd Rapson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans his Department has to undertake a review of the offence of carrying a knife without due cause.

Caroline Flint: The Crime Reduction Delivery Board has been tasked with undertaking a speedy review of action needed to tackle crime committed with knives. Legislative restrictions on knives and other pointed instruments forms part of that work. This will include the effectiveness of Section 139 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 which creates an offence of possessing an article with blade or point in public without good reason or lawful authority, with the exception of a folding pocket-knife with a blade not exceeding three inches.

Crime Reduction

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what impact Local Police Teams are having on reducing crime.

Hazel Blears: We are committed to implement a neighbourhood policing approach in all forces by 2008. In those areas where neighbourhood policing is already in place, such as Merseyside, Surrey and parts of London, the presence of local teams is having a positive impact on reported crime levels.

Immigration

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on co-ordination of activity between the immigration and nationality directorate and local police forces on effective enforcement of immigration law.

Des Browne: The relationship is governed by a joint protocol between the Immigration Service and the Association of Chief Police Officers. Currently there are 111 police officers across the country, funded by the Immigration Service, dedicated to supporting immigration enforcement operations.
	While the Immigration Service are responsible for operational deployment, and the identification and removal of immigration offenders, the police retain primacy for maintaining and increasing the trust and confidence of local communities, including the right to veto operations if necessary.
	Operational detail is discussed and agreed at a local level to reflect the particular requirements of individual police forces and the needs of local communities.

Road Accidents

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring forward proposals to create an offence of failing to identify the driver of a vehicle involved in a road traffic accident.

Caroline Flint: The Government have no plans to introduce an offence of failing to identify the driver of a vehicle in a road traffic accident.
	The key to unlocking cases where persons refuse to identify who was driving is through effective evidence gathering at the scene.
	Charging two or more people could lead to convicting an innocent person as well as a guilty one.

Prisoners (Suicide)

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners have committed suicide in the past 12 months; and how many were in safe cells.

Paul Goggins: In the 12 month period, 1 November 2003 to 31 October 2004, there were 107 apparently self-inflicted deaths of prisoners in English and Welsh prisons. Of these, one occurred in a safe cell.

Police Malpractice

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Independent Police Complaint Commission's ability to (a) carry out and (b) oversee independent inquiries into complaints of police malpractice.

Hazel Blears: I am very pleased with the start made by the Independent Police Complaint Commission which has launched 17 independent investigations since it became operational on 1 April 2004. I have every confidence in them and I am satisfied that their funding for the first year, which has enabled them to recruit 72 independent investigative staff, is at an appropriate level.

Children (Exploitation)

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to combat the trafficking and sexual exploitation of children within the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The Sexual Offences Act 2003, which came into force on 1 May, includes offences which criminalise trafficking into, within and out of the country for the purpose of sexual exploitation. The offences carry a maximum penalty of 14 years' imprisonment. The Act also introduces comprehensive offences covering the sexual exploitation of children.
	These offences extend to England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Prisoners (Skills Awards)

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many work and basic skills awards have been made to prisoners in the last 12 months.

Paul Goggins: The number of skills awards made to prisoners for the period 1 October 2003 to 30 September 2004 were:
	53,152 for basic skills
	140,907 for work skills

Identity Parades

Richard Allan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the impact of the VIPER system for identity parades on police efficiency.

Hazel Blears: We have continuously monitored the impact of video identification since its inception.
	I am pleased to report that it has been an outstanding success and video identification systems now exist in all police forces in England and Wales.
	The average time to conduct a parade has fallen from four and a half weeks to a matter of hours. The number of video identification parades is continuing to increase and is already three times the 2001–02 figure for live parades. In 2001–02, figure for live parades.
	An average live parade cost £540 compared with £100 for a VIPER parade. This equate to a saving of £18.48 million in 2004–05.

Terrorism

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals are detained on his order under anti-terrorist legislation.

David Blunkett: Using Part IV of the Anti Terrorism Crime and Security Act 17 non British nationals have been certified as being a terrorist risk.
	One of those is now being held under other powers; two have left the country; one has been judged, while having terrorist links, not to have associated with Al Qaeda so their appeal was upheld; one is being held under strict bail conditions; one has been released as no longer posing a serious threat; thus 12 remain in detention.
	These powers have been used sparingly and remain necessary and proportionate to the threat that we face.
	Parliament has always been kept informed by written ministerial statement where a certification has been made or revoked.

Adoption and Children Act

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to set a Government commencement date for those parts of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 which have not yet been brought into commencement, with special reference to section 112.

Paul Goggins: My right hon. Friend the Minister for Children, Young People and Families indicated in a written answer on 23 February 2004 that we planned to finalise the regulations, court rules and guidance required to implement the core of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 by the end of 2004 and expected the legislation to come fully into force in September 2005 after a period of preparation and training. Section 112 would be brought into force at the same time as the rest of the Act's main provisions.
	During 2004 we have consulted extensively on a range of draft regulations, court rules and guidance. We are reviewing the consultation drafts and the implementation timetable in the light of the comments received. The proposed court rules will shortly be put before the new Family Procedure Rule Committee for consideration. We will announce the specific commencement date later this year when we have finalised our detailed plans for preparation and training on the Act.

Ammonium Nitrate

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many thefts of ammonium nitrate were recorded (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) from farms in (i) 2003, (ii) 2002 and (iii) 2001.

David Blunkett: In England and Wales, numbers of thefts of ammonium nitrate are not collected separately from other thefts.
	Information relating to Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
	I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 27 April 2004, Official Report, column 857W

Ammonium Nitrate

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many tonnes of ammonium nitrate fertiliser were recorded by the police as having been stolen from farms in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003.

David Blunkett: In England and Wales, numbers of thefts of ammonium nitrate are not collected separately from other thefts.
	Information relating to Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
	I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 27 April 2004, Official Report, column 857W

Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures are in place to assess the mental health condition of people detained within the Prison Service under provisions of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001.

Paul Goggins: Those detained under the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act are currently held either at Belmarsh or Woodhill prisons.
	All new arrivals receive a mental health assessment. Should this assessment give rise to any cause for concern, the prisoner is referred to mental health services. At any time, a prisoner may be referred to the prison mental health services. Any member of staff or the prisoner himself can make a referral.

ASBOs

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the need for a full rehearing at circuit court level when an antisocial behaviour order is made in the magistrates court; and if he will make a statement.

Christopher Leslie: I have been asked to reply.
	Under section 79(3) of the Supreme Court Act 1981 appeals against antisocial behaviour orders made in the magistrates court are by way of re-hearing in the Crown court. We have received no representations on this matter. My Department is however considering the implications of the Brent judgment.

Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants) Act

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been prosecuted under section 35 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants) Act 2004.

Des Browne: To date there have been no prosecutions under section 35 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants) Act 2004, which came into force on 22 September 2004. This is because the offence is not committed until a person has first been required to take specific action under section 35, and then has failed to comply with that request without reasonable excuse. As a result, the time period is too short for any cases to have reached the prosecution stage.
	Information on Prosecutions is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales", copies of which are available from the Library of the House and on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate web site at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds.html.

Asylum Seekers

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of those who have been granted asylum in England and Wales received criminal convictions in 2003; and what proportion of the population of England and Wales received criminal convictions in 2003.

Des Browne: No data are available on the proportion of those granted asylum who have received a criminal conviction in 2003. However, under section 72 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 individuals who have committed a 'particularly serious crime' and pose 'a danger to the community' will lose their ability to rely on the Refugee Convention to remain in this country.
	It is estimated that a maximum of 1 per cent. of the population of England and Wales (over the age of 10) received a criminal conviction in 2003 for a Standard List offence.

Asylum Seekers

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for The Home Department how many asylum seekers are living in each borough in the greater London area.

Des Browne: Figures for asylum seekers (including dependants) supported in National Asylum Support Service (NASS) accommodation and those in receipt of subsistence only support from NASS in each local authority area in greater London as at the end of June 2004 are presented in the following tables. Corresponding figures for those not in receipt of NASS support are not available.
	Numbers of asylum seekers placed in NASS accommodation and numbers who are in receipt of subsistence only support from NASS, are published on a quarterly and annual basis. The next publication covering the third quarter of 2004 (July to September) will be available on 16 November on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate web site at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.
	
		Table showing asylum seekers in receipt of subsistence only -- support from NASS (38) , (39) , (40) by local authority in greater London as at end of June 2004
		
			 Greater London local authority(41) Total 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 370 
			 Barnet 575 
			 Bexley 70 
			 Brent 1,275 
			 Bromley 70 
			 Camden 385 
			 Croydon 605 
			 Ealing 1,205 
			 Enfield 1,120 
			 Greenwich 430 
			 Hackney 945 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 270 
			 Haringey 1,675 
			 Harrow 490 
			 Havering 35 
			 Hillingdon 430 
			 Hounslow 570 
			 Islington 555 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 175 
			 Kingston upon Thames 105 
			 Lambeth 815 
			 Lewisham 585 
			 Merton 380 
			 Newham 1,650 
			 Redbridge 560 
			 Richmond upon Thames 60 
			 Southwark 760 
			 Sutton 100 
			 Tower Hamlets 270 
			 Waltham Forest 900 
			 Wandsworth 565 
			 Westminster 305 
			 Other — 
			 Total 18,295 
		
	
	(38) Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5 and are provisional.
	(39) Excludes cases where support has been ceased by the National Asylum Support Service.
	(40) Asylum seekers receiving subsistence only support from the National Asylum Support Service. These asylum seekers live in their own accommodation.
	(41) Local authorities with fewer than 20 cases are grouped by region as "other".
	
		Table showing asylum seekers supported in NASS accommodation(42) , (43) , (44) by local authority in greater London as at end of June 2004
		
			 Greater London local authority(45) Dispersed Disbenifited (46) Total 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 5 15 20 
			 Barnet 20 50 70 
			 Bexley — 5 5 
			 Brent — 45 45 
			 Bromley — 10 10 
			 Camden 15 20 35 
			 Croydon — 80 80 
			 Ealing — 75 75 
			 Enfield 140 115 255 
			 Greenwich — 25 25 
			 Hackney 45 65 115 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham — 75 75 
			 Haringey 310 160 470 
			 Harrow — 50 50 
			 Havering — 5 5 
			 Hillingdon — 15 15 
			 Hounslow — 15 15 
			 Islington 40 80 120 
			 Kensington and Chelsea — 5 5 
			 Kingston upon Thames — 10 10 
			 Lambeth — 45 45 
			 Lewisham — 55 55 
			 Merton — 15 15 
			 Newham 30 115 145 
			 Redbridge 10 45 55 
			 Richmond upon Thames — 5 5 
			 Southwark — 50 50 
			 Sutton — 5 5 
			 Tower Hamlets — 15 15 
			 Waltham Forest 45 75 120 
			 Wandsworth — 10 10 
			 Westminster — 20 20 
			 Total 660 1,375 2,035 
		
	
	(42) Figures have been rounded to nearest 5, with '*' = 1 or 2, and are provisional.
	(43) Asylum seekers that have been allocated NASS accommodation and have been confirmed as having arrived in that accommodation.
	(44) Excludes cases where support has been ceased by the National Asylum Support Service.
	(45) Only those local authorities where NASS dispersed or disbenefitted cases are resident are shown.
	(46) Disbenefited cases are cases which were previously supported under the main UK benefits system and have been moved onto NASS support. Some of these cases have remained in the original social services accommodation.

Asylum Seekers

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department from which European countries asylum seekers entering the UK during the last 12 months originated.

Des Browne: Information on the date of entry into the UK, travel route, or the country of origin of asylum seekers is not available. Some applicants may travel clandestinely. The information available relates to numbers of applications made during the last 12 months and the nationalities of these applicants, and is given in the table.
	
		Applications(47) received for asylum in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, by nationality(48)
		
			  Quarter 
			 Nationality Q3 2003 Q4 2003 Q1 2004 Q2 2004 Total (July 2003-June 2004) 
		
		
			 Europe  
			 Albania 130 105 115 60 410 
			 Czech Republic 25 10 15 * 50 
			 Macedonia 10 5 10 0 25 
			 Moldova 70 50 55 45 215 
			 Poland 10 25 15 5 50 
			 Romania 120 90 75 55 345 
			 Russia 60 80 50 55 245 
			 SAM(49) 180 115 85 80 460 
			 Turkey 530 635 460 255 1,875 
			 Ukraine 90 40 40 25 200 
			 Other Former USSR 170 140 120 90 520 
			 Other Former Yugo. 5 5 5 10 25 
			 Europe other 15 30 10 5 60 
			 Europe total 1,415 1,330 1,055 685 4,485 
		
	
	(47) Figures have been rounded to the nearest five with * = one or two.
	(48) Provisional figures.
	(49) Serbia and Montenegro (SAM) replaced Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) from 5 February 2003. SAM comprises the Republic of Serbia, the Republic of Montenegro, and the Province of Kosovo (administered by the UN on an interim basis since 1999).
	Information on asylum applications by nationality is published in quarterly web pages and in the annual statistical bulletin "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom", copies of which are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Asylum Seekers

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the (a) starting salary for and (b) period of training given to Home Office initial decision makers in asylum applications are.

Des Browne: Initial decision makers of asylum applications in Croydon generally receive a starting salary of £18,011 plus £1,470 London Location Allowance (£19,481).
	Initial training for asylum caseworkers consists of an 11 day training course which covers all aspects of asylum casework and how to deal with human rights allegations raised by asylum seekers. Immediately following this training, caseworkers move directly to a Mentoring Unit where they remain for at least another 11 days to develop their casework skills through the consideration of 'dummy' and subsequently 'live' cases.
	After formal training and mentoring, caseworkers will continue to receive support (eg from more experienced colleagues and senior officers).

Badgers

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what records he has of the number of incidents of mistreatment of badgers in England and Wales for each of the last 10 years.

Hazel Blears: No records are collected centrally on the number of incidents of mistreatment of badgers.

Belmarsh Prison

Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements are in place to monitor the mental health of prisoners held at Belmarsh Prison under anti-terrorism legislation; and on what dates he has received reports in the past two years.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 27 October 2004
	All prisoners arriving at Belmarsh prison, for whatever reason, receive a mental health assessment. Should this assessment give rise to any cause for concern, the prisoner is referred to mental health services. At any time while at Belmarsh, a prisoner may be referred to mental health services. Any member of staff or the prisoner himself can make a referral.
	Mental health services were reviewed as part of the Commission for Health Improvement programme in February 2003.
	The deputy director general recently commissioned the Department of Health to review the health care systems (including mental health) available to the detainees at Belmarsh prison. A team of independent health professionals undertook the review and concluded that the health care services available to the detainees were satisfactory and equitable to those available to other prisoners.
	Mental health services are provided at Belmarsh by Oxleas NHS trust. These services have been awarded Beacon status as recognition of excellence.

Belmarsh Prison

Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will accede to the requests of prisoners being held at Belmarsh under anti- terrorism legislation for closer contact with their families.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 27 October 2004
	Detainees held under the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001, in common with other persons held at Belmarsh prison, are able to receive regular visits from their families and friends, in addition to being able to contact them by telephone and through correspondence. While any request received for additional contact will always be considered, this has to be in the context of the operational requirements of the prison and prison rules.
	All those detained under part 4 of the ATCSA 2001 are free to leave the UK at any time.

Belmarsh Prison

Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received about the mental health of prisoners at Belmarsh Prison under anti-terrorism legislation; and if he will meet the medical advisers appointed by their solicitor.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 27 October 2004
	None. All prisoners at Belmarsh, including those detained under anti-terrorism legislation, have access to a full range of mental health facilities. Any concerns raised about the mental health of a particular person at Belmarsh should be directed to the health care staff, who will then be able to consider the matter and take appropriate action as necessary.

Bogus Colleges

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many reports of bogus colleges have been made to him in the last 24 months; and how many such colleges have been closed.

Des Browne: Details of the number of bogus colleges reported, or the number closed, are not currently collated centrally. The DfES Register of Educational Establishments will be launched in January 2005. Immigration and Nationality Directorate officials have visited over 1,150 establishments of concern so far this year, of which about a quarter have been found to be bogus. All applications for leave to enter or remain as a student are checked against this information, and applications relating to colleges known to be bogus are refused.

Category A Prisoners

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many category (a) A, (b) B and (c) C prisoners there were in England (i) in 1990, (ii) in 1995, (iii) in 2000 and (iv) at the latest date for which figures are available.

Paul Goggins: Information on the number of Category A, B and C prisoners, as recorded on the central prison IT system, is provided in the table. Information is not available for 1990 or 1995.
	
		Population of category A, B and C prisoners at prison establishments in England
		
			  Category A 1 Category B Category C 
		
		
			 30 June 2000 925 7,700 26,100 
			 30 September 2004 903 8,000 32,000 
		
	
	(50) Figures for category A prisoners have been supplied by NOMS colleagues, and comprise all prisoners with a category A classification, including those on remand or awaiting extradition. The 2004 figure is for 1 October

Child Pornography

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions for the (a) production and (b) distribution of child pornography there have been during the last 12 months.

Paul Goggins: Prosecutions for producing or distributing pornography are not directly identifiable on the Home Office Court Proceedings database. Prosecutions for distribution, possessing with a view to distribution, taking or making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children under the Protection of Children Act 1978 are recorded together in the Court Statistics. Simple possession is an offence under the Criminal Justice Act 1988, and possessing obscene material for gain is an offence under the Obscene Publications Act 1959.
	The available information relating to England and Wales in 2002 is shown in the table. Statistics for 2003 will be available later in November.
	
		The number of defendants prosecuted at the magistrates court and convicted at all courts for offences relating to child pornography -- England and Wales 2002 1
		
			  Offence  Statute Total prosecuted Total convicted 
		
		
			 Possessing obscene material for gain Obscene Publications Act 1959 S. 2 as amended by the Obscene Publications Act, 1964 Sec. 1 52 42 
			 Taking or making indecent photographs, or pseudo-photographs, of children Protection of Children Act 1978 Sections 1, 6 as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 Sec. 84 582 434 
			 Possession of an indecent photograph, or pseudo-photograph, of a child Criminal Justice Act 1988 Sec. 160 as amended by the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000(51) 117 75 
		
	
	(51) These data are on the principal offence basis

Children (Court Appearances)

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what special measures are available to support children who give evidence in court.

Paul Goggins: Witnesses aged under 17 at the time of hearing ("child witnesses") are eligible for special measures assistance to give their best evidence under the provisions of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999.
	A primary rule in the Act provides that child witnesses in certain categories of offence, including violence and sexual offences, ("child witnesses in need of special protection") are entitled to have a video recording admitted as their evidence in chief and otherwise to give their evidence via a live link unless the court decides that this would be against the interests of justice. For child witnesses in cases not involving one of these types of offence there is a presumption that these measures will be provided unless the court is satisfied that they would not maximise the quality of their evidence.
	The introduction of special measures is being phased to enable evaluation of how they are working and to provide time for agencies to prepare for full implementation. The range of special measures which are currently available to child witnesses in criminal proceedings across England and Wales is summarised
	as follows:
	Screens—to ensure that the witness does not see the defendant—available to child witnesses in the Crown Court and magistrates' courts.
	Live link—allowing a witness to give evidence from outside the courtroom—available to child witnesses in the Crown Court and to child witnesses in need of special protection in magistrates' courts.
	Evidence in private—clearing the court of most people (legal representatives and certain others must be allowed to stay)—available to child witnesses in the Crown Court and magistrates' courts
	Removal of wigs and gowns—by judges, advocates etc—available to child witnesses in the Crown Court (not applicable to magistrates' courts).
	Video recorded evidence in chief—allowing an interview with the witness, which has been video recorded before the trial, to be shown as the witness's evidence in chief—available to child witnesses in the Crown Court and child witnesses in need of special protection in magistrates' courts.
	Intermediaries—allowing an approved intermediary to help a witness communicate with the police, legal representatives and the court—available to child witnesses in Crown Court and magistrates' courts in pilot areas, currently Merseyside, Thames Valley and West Midlands.
	Aids to communication—allowing a witness to use communication aids such as a symbol book or alphabet boards—available to child witnesses in the Crown Court and magistrates' courts.

Children (Court Appearances)

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of children were offered the choice of giving evidence outside court in each year since 1997; and how many and what percentage accepted this offer.

Harriet Harman: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Secretary of State for the Home Department.
	A Home Office Research study "Are special measures working? " published in June 2004 found that the offer of live link away from the courtroom for children had almost doubled since implementation of the section from 43 per cent. to 83 per cent. in 2004. It would therefore only be in exceptional circumstances or where the statutory criteria was not met that a child would give their evidence in a courtroom.
	In July 2004, Baroness Scotland announced a review of the way in which children's evidence is taken and presented in criminal courts with the aim of enabling measures to be more tailored to the individual witnesses' needs. A multi agency steering group led by the Home Office is taking this forward.

Children (Court Appearances)

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many intermediaries whose job is to rephrase the court's questions to child-friendly language are employed within the criminal justice system.

Paul Goggins: The function of an intermediary in criminal proceedings is defined by section 29 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999.
	The use of intermediaries is currently being piloted to identify best practice in advance of full implementation. An Intermediary Register of trained experts has been established for the pilot. The Register currently contains details of 25 individuals whose area of expertise is mainly or wholly with children. An exercise to increase the number of registered intermediaries will be completed shortly.

Corporate Manslaughter Bill

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the draft Bill on corporate manslaughter will extend to Scotland.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 8 November 2004
	The Government are currently developing proposals for reforming the law on corporate manslaughter and intend to publish a draft Bill this autumn. We are in close contact with counterparts in Scotland about this, where criminal law is a devolved matter.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter to him dated 13 September from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Alphonse Ngolo.

David Blunkett: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 13 October 2004.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will answer the letter to him dated 14 September from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mr. Kevin Andre Dunn.

David Blunkett: I replied to my right hon. Friend on 21 October 2004.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  when he will reply to the letter to him dated 14 September from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Hanif Attiya;
	(2)  when he will reply to the letter to him dated 22 September from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs. R. Faiz.

David Blunkett: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 4 November, 2004.

Countryside Alliance (Demonstration)

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints were received by the Independent Police Complaints Commission following the Countryside Alliance demonstration in Parliament Square on 15 September; and how many of these complaints were related to police violence.

Hazel Blears: The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) informs me that, as of 3 November, there were 402 complaints or issues of concern raised by individuals. The investigation has not concluded and at this stage it is not possible to give a specific breakdown regarding the total number that relate to police violence. However, 45 of the complaints are from individuals alleging assault upon them personally. The IPCC will be releasing further figures as they become available.

Crime/Sentencing Statistics

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of drug treatment and testing orders in reducing re-offending in York.

Paul Goggins: There has been no independently evaluated assessment of the effectiveness of drug treatment and testing orders (DTTOs) in reducing re-offending in either York or North Yorkshire since the order was made available to courts in England and Wales in October 2000.

Crime/Sentencing Statistics

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were bailed before trial in each year since 1995, broken down by (a) gender, (b) age and (c) type of offence.

Paul Goggins: The following table gives information relating to the number of people who were bailed before trial by (a) magistrates' courts and (b) the Crown court in England and Wales. The figures include estimates for missing data.
	Due to the poor quality of the data we receive we are not able to provide figures for the number of people bailed before trial broken down by gender or age.
	
		Persons remanded on bail at magistrates courts or the Crown court, 1995–2002. England and Wales -- Thousands of persons
		
			  1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Magistrates court: 
			 Indictable 349.1 277.8 319.5 335.1 320.3 337.1 334.0 325.6 
			 Summary (other than motoring) 86.4 96.6 114.4 145.2 125.0 112.2 127.8 125.6 
			 Summary motoring 92.9 84.4 101.1 99.6 93.0 78.2 81.4 81.1 
			 Total 528.4 458.8 535.0 579.9 538.3 527.5 543.2 532.3 
			  
			 Crown court: 
			 Indictable n/a 61.3 64.4 58.1 53.4 53.4 53.3 51.2 
			 Summary (other than motoring) n/a 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.7 
			 Summary motoring n/a 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 
			  
			 All courts: 
			 Total n/a 63.4 66.5 60.3 55.4 55.5 55.5 53.2 
			 Indictable n/a 339.1 383.9 393.2 373.7 390.5 387.3 376.8 
			 Summary (other than motoring) n/a 98.2 116.1 147.0 126.6 113.9 129.6 127.3 
			 Summary motoring n/a 84.9 101.5 100.0 93.4 78.6 81.8 81.5 
			 Total n/a 522.2 601.5 640.2 593.7 583.0 598.7 585.5 
		
	
	n/a=data not available
	Note:
	Figures include those also held in custody at some stage.

Crime/Sentencing Statistics

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average sentence length for people found guilty in each key offence area, as identified by Crime in England and Wales 2003–04, was in each year since 1997.

Paul Goggins: Information relating to the average custodial sentence length imposed on persons sentenced for the key offences is published as part of 'Crime in England and Wales, 2003–04'. A copy is held in the Library.

Criminal Cases Review Commission

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what links the Criminal Cases Review Commission has with other agencies; and how it uses these links to commission work which provides an understanding of the issues involved in historical sex abuse cases.

Paul Goggins: The Criminal Cases Review Commission has many links with other agencies in the criminal justice system because of the need to access information from public bodies under s17 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1995. It has not used any of these links within the criminal justice system to commission work on the issues involved in historical sex abuse cases. The Commission's working group on Child Sexual Abuse Cases did, however, request a report from a leading psychologist to identify research, good practice and guidance on the application of scientific methodology to the investigation of contemporary and historical allegations of abuse. This provided a helpful wider overview of the topic.

Criminal Cases Review Commission

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions the Criminal Cases Review Commission has commissioned research on historical sex abuse cases from other agencies.

Paul Goggins: The Commission has not commissioned any research on historical sex abuse cases from other agencies.

Criminal Justice Act

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans to bring into force section 174 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 requiring judges to give reasons for, and explains the effect of, sentences in ordinary language; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: Subsection (4) of section 174, which provides an order making power for the Secretary of State to disapply the need to give reasons in some cases, such as where a defendant is absent, was commenced on 1 April 2004. We expect to bring the remainder of the section into force in the first half of 2005.

Custody Plus/Minus

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who will manage the introduction of Custody Plus and Minus under the reorganisation of the Prison and probation services.

Paul Goggins: Implementation of the Custody Plus Order, the Suspended Sentence Order (Custody Minus) and the other sentencing provisions in the Criminal Justice Act 2003 is being managed within the Home Office by the Sentence Implementation Programme. Mr. Stephen Murphy, the director general of the National Probation Service, is the senior responsible officer for the programme, reporting to Mr. Martin Narey, the chief executive of the National Offender Management Service.

Custody Plus/Minus

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when (a) Custody Plus and (b) Custody Minus will be implemented; and how many additional (i) probation and (ii) prison staff will be recruited to administer it.

Paul Goggins: The Suspended Sentence Order (Custody Minus) will be implemented next year. We currently plan to implement the Custody Plus Order in 2006. The Prison Service does not require additional staff to implement these sentences.
	Between 2001 and 2004 the number of probation staff increased by 21.2 per cent. Further increases will provide a total of 22,400 staff by 2005–06. This will be sufficient to deliver the Suspended Sentence Order and the other provisions in the 2003 Criminal Justice Act that will be implemented at the same time.

Cyber Crime

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cyber criminals have been prosecuted in the past five years; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The available information, taken from the Home Office Court Proceedings Database, relates to England and Wales for the years 1998 to 2002 and is shown in the table. It covers defendants proceeded against under the Computer Misuse Act 1990.
	It is not possible, from the data held centrally, to identify any other offences that may be connected with internet or computer crime, because the circumstances of any such offences are not collected.
	Statistics on court proceedings for 2003 will be published on the 18 November.
	
		Number of defendants proceeded against at the magistrates courts for offences under the Computer Misuse Act 1990, England and Wales 1998 to 2002 1
		
			 Offence description Statute 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Unauthorised access to computer material Computer Misuse Act 1990, Sec.1 6 6 8 9 4 
			 Unauthorised access with intent to commit or  facilitate commission of further offences Computer Misuse Act 1990, Sec.2 6 3 3 4 6 
			 Unauthorised modification of computer material Computer Misuse Act 1990, Sec.3 4 4 8 12 8 
			 Total  16 13 19 25 18 
		
	
	(52) These data are on the principal offence basis

Dalit People

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department recognises British South Asians who have their roots in the Dalit caste as an ethnic minority in their own right.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Race Relations Act 1976 prohibits discrimination on the grounds of colour, race, nationality national or ethnic origins in specified fields. It is for the courts, not the Government, to decide whether any particular group meets these criteria. We are not aware of any case law which would establish whether or not Dalits are an ethnic group within the meaning of the Race Relations Act.

Dangerous Offenders

Gisela Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to ensure that hon. Members receive notification of a release of a dangerous offender before the release takes place.

Paul Goggins: Probation areas are required to notify the Public Protection and Courts Unit (PPCU) when dangerous offenders Critical Public Protection Cases (CPPC) are released into the community. When a release address of a CPPC is confirmed, the PPCU identify whether the local MP has indicated that they wish to be advised in confidence about the release of such a dangerous offender into their constituency. If so, I then write to the MP advising about the release with details of statutory supervision and licence conditions.
	The purpose of this arrangement is to ensure the MP is aware of the arrangements to manage the offender's risk. It also enables the MP, if they wish, to make further inquiries of local police and probation services, as well as Ministers.

Departmental Database

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information is contained on his Department's court proceedings database.

Paul Goggins: The Home Office Court Proceedings database contains records of all defendants prosecuted for at least one criminal offence in the magistrates' courts or the Crown Court, England and Wales.
	In each case, the defendant's gender and age are recorded along with some limited information on ethnicity. The database holds a record of each offence for which each individual is prosecuted, indicating the nature of the offence and the outcome of the prosecution. For those offenders found guilty details are recorded of the sentence(s) they have received as well as a measure of the length or value of each sentence. Information about where the case was dealt with, covering court name, type of court and police force area is available.
	The database also contains fields covering remand status and, in Crown Court cases, the type of plea.
	Aggregate data from the Court Proceedings database are published in the annual command paper "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales" along with four supplementary volumes. These give further breakdowns of the data in relation to offence, age, court, police force area and petty sessional area. The next editions of these publications covering the calendar year 2003 are due to be published in November.

Detection Rates

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures the Department will take to improve detection rates; and what assessment has been made of the reasons for changes in detection rates.

David Blunkett: The Home Office Police Standards Unit is working with Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Association of Police Authorities, the Office for Criminal Justice Reform and the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit, on a programme of work to improve performance on sanction detections.
	Several schemes to improve detection rates are being developed and disseminated. These include efficient use of forensic techniques, Automatic Number Plate Recognition and studies on initial response (call-handling), screening and attrition in volume crime investigations. The Police Standards Unit will also issue shortly national good practice guidance on enhancing sanction detections performance.
	Those factors that have contributed to recent changes in the detection rate have been explored by the Home Office Research Development and Statistics (RDS) Directorate. A summary of these issues can be found in chapter 7 of the RDS publication "Crime in England and Wales 2003/2004" published in July 2004.

Drugs in Prisons

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to reduce the amount of illegal drugs in prisons in England and Wales.

Paul Goggins: A comprehensive framework of measures is in place to reduce the amount of illegal drugs in prisons. Passive drug dogs are used to detect traces of drugs on visitors, and other dogs are used actively to search for drugs within prisons, as part of a general drug search strategy. Closed circuit television systems are installed in all visits areas to monitor behaviour, and fixed and low-level furniture is used in visits areas to make it difficult to pass drugs undetected. Sanctions are taken against visitors suspected of smuggling drugs, including visit bans and closed visits. Where there is adequate evidence they are prosecuted. Prisons and police share intelligence about drug routes into prisons.
	A random sample of prisoners (5 or 10 per cent. depending on prison capacity) each month is required to submit to a drug test, and a positive test result will lead to disciplinary proceedings. All establishments use and contribute to a Drug Supply Reduction Good Practice Guide and a monthly security bulletin, both of which share information on ways of protecting against drugs.
	The Prison Service works with the Police Scientific Development Branch to strengthen physical and technical barriers, particularly in prisons, such as those in city centres, where public spaces are close to the perimeter walls. The Prison Service has a Professional Standards Unit to help to identify staff who may be involved in or at risk of corruption. It will provide relevant information to facilitate investigations.

Electronic Tagging

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the value is of each of the new contracts for the electronic monitoring of offenders awarded by his Department to (a) Securicor Justice Services Ltd and (b) Premier Monitoring Services Ltd; and what the basis is of the estimate of savings to the Home Office of around 35 per cent. arising from the new contracts.

Paul Goggins: The value of the electronic monitoring contracts, based on a contract life of five years and assuming substantial volume growth over that timeframe, is approximately £500 million (excluding VAT). The electronic monitoring service has been divided into five geographical areas with roughly equal volumes of business, so the contract value for each area is approximately £100 million (excluding VAT) over five years. Premier Monitoring Services Ltd has been awarded two areas, and Securicor Justice Services Ltd has been awarded three areas.
	The charges under the new contracts were applied to the workload under the existing contracts for the Financial Year 2003/04. The result indicated a saving of about 35 per cent. on the actual amounts paid in that year under the existing contracts.

Fines

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what percentage of cases where individuals were fined following a criminal conviction in England and Wales a means inquiry was commissioned in (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 25 October 2004
	Information on the number of means inquiries commissioned in England and Wales is not recorded centrally.

Fines

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to link the ability to pay to the size of fine imposed following a criminal conviction in England and Wales.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 25 October 2004
	I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 7 June 2004, Official Report, column 178W.

Fireworks

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to ensure the police service enforces the new regulations on fireworks.

Hazel Blears: We have a comprehensive and robust package in place to tackle the misuse of fireworks. The Fireworks Regulations 2004 came into force in August and in October we extended the Penalty Notices for Disorder Scheme (PND) to include three new firework offences. The new PNDs allow police to punish offenders immediately by issuing on-the-spot fines and offer an additional disposal that has been widely welcomed by police forces across the country.
	I was keen to ensure all relevant agencies were aware of the new arrangements. In early October I wrote to all chief constables to provide guidance ahead of the fireworks season and to ensure the new arrangements were made an integral part of their fireworks strategies. We have published a TOGETHER factsheet on the misuse of fireworks and this has been widely distributed to practitioners. DTI are also in regular contact with individual police forces and other enforcement agencies, such as Trading Standards, to provide advice on the Fireworks Regulations 2004. They expect to publish comprehensive guidance shortly.
	Early indications show that the new powers are being used effectively to tackle the misuse of fireworks.

Gang Rapes

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the police and community groups over changes in the incidence of gang rapes; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what representations he has received on reported cases of gang rapes involving minors which have not resulted in convictions; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what discussions he has had on reported incidents of gang rapes involving minors where the case has not been brought to trial; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  (a) what representations he has received and (b) what discussions he has had regarding suspected incidents of gang rapes involving minors where no official report has been made; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: Rape is a dreadful crime that deeply affects the lives of victims and their families, and which inspires fear in our communities. We are working to reduce the number of sexual offences occurring, to improve services to victims, and to increase confidence in the Criminal Justice System.
	My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has not received formal representations on this issue. However, officials have met with representatives from the Metropolitan Police Service to discuss group rape, and are considering how to take forward action in this area in the context of wider work on rape and sexual assault.
	Recorded crime statistics do not include data on group rape. A self-completion questionnaire included in the 2001 British Crime Survey revealed that in six per cent. of serious sexual assaults suffered by women since the age of 16, more than one perpetrator was involved. Research to be published in the near future is expected to throw more light on the prevalence and nature of group rape.
	The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not have statistics on the number of reported cases of group rape involving minors that resulted in acquittals, or the number of cases that have not been brought to trial.
	Since 2002 Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC)/Her Majesty's Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) inspection into the investigation and prosecution of cases involving allegations of rape, a great deal of work has been done to increase the number of cases both brought to trial and ending in conviction. On 30 June this year the CPS launched its public policy statement on rape which sets out what the CPS is doing to improve the way all rape cases are handled, including specialist rape prosecutors in all areas.
	Furthermore, the Sexual Offences Act, which came into force in May this year, puts in place a number of measures to increase confidence in the prosecution of all rapes and sexual offences, including group rape. These include:
	a new definition of 'consent';
	the introduction of an objective element into the belief a defendant has in that consent; a set of circumstances in which it is presumed that the complainant did not consent unless it can be demonstrated otherwise, for example if the complainant was subject to violence; and
	a new category of offence to deal with sexual assault of children under the age of 13.
	The Government take all sexual crime extremely seriously and are committed to tackling all types of sexual assault and improving services to victims. Over this current and the next financial year, the Government will provide £4 million of proceeds of crime money for services to victims of sex offending.

Gun Crime

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the operations which have been introduced in areas with high levels of gun crime.

Caroline Flint: The Government supports the work of dedicated, intelligence-led gun crime operations in police forces around the country: Operations Trident and Trafalgar (Metropolitan police), Operation Ventara (West Midlands), Operation Stealth (Nottinghamshire) and Operation Xcalibre (Greater Manchester). These operations are producing excellent results:
	Operation Trident
	Trident was set up in 1999 to investigate shootings and murders in the black community in London, and also carries out pro-active, intelligence-led operations. From April to end October 2004, the number of Trident gun crime incidents is reported to be down 21 per cent.
	Trafalgar was set up in January 2004 to investigate non-fatal shootings in London's other communities (mainly Asian and Turkish) following concerns expressed by those communities and also by the Metropolitan Police Authority. From April, Trafalgar-related gun crime incidents are reported to be down 18 per cent.
	Operation Ventara
	Ventara has been running in its current form for three years with a strategic focus of community intelligence, enforcement and partnership working. From April to September 2004, gang-related shootings have been reduced by 50 per cent., compared to the same period in 2003.
	Operation Stealth
	Operation Stealth was launched in 2002 by Nottinghamshire police to tackle drug-fuelled gun crime. Similar to Operation Trident, it has an Independent Advisory Group that monitors and observes the activity of this police operation. Since it was set up there have been over 900 arrests and the seizure of almost 300 firearms.
	Operation Xcalibre
	Xcalibre was launched in July this year and is a centralised investigative, focused approach to GMP's attack on the criminal use of firearms. It responds to intelligence of firearms-related incidents by actively targeting known offenders by disrupting their daily lives and investigating all confirmed incidents. As a result, in the year to date from April, the number of recorded crimes where a firearm has been discharged has fallen by one third compared to the same period last year.
	These operations have helped to contribute to the reduction in the number of fatal shootings which, according to figures published on 21 October, fell from 82 in the 12 months to June 2003, to 70 in the same period to June 2004.

HMP Littlehey

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria were used to determine whether HMP Littlehey should be granted a local pay allowance.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 4 November 2004
	Local pay is determined following consideration of applications received from the establishment. The primary consideration is whether cost of living factors (predominantly housing and travel) provide an obstacle to the establishment being able to recruit and retain staff. It was determined by the Prison Service that Littlehay did not require the benefit of local pay to attract and retain staff at this particular time.

Inspectorates Merger

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment has been made of the possible merits of a merger between the inspectorates of constabulary, prisons and probation.

Paul Goggins: The Government will consult early in the new year on more coherent arrangements for the end to end inspection of the criminal justice system. There is recognition of the need for inspection to better reflect the way services are delivered and to ensure a user perspective is properly built into the process.

Juvenile Offenders

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many juveniles held in custody are receiving education and training.

Paul Goggins: The Youth Justice Board commission and purchase custodial places for juveniles. The numbers receiving education are not collected centrally. However the board do require establishments to provide education, training and personal development for all trainees and they monitor compliance under the relevant contracts and service level agreement.

Kashmir

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning the identification of Kashmiris as a separate group from Pakistanis in publications, information and statistics issued by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: holding answer 19 October 2004
	I wrote to the Kashmir National Identity Campaign on 24 May explaining that the Home Office follows Cabinet Office guidance and uses the Census categories for monitoring purposes and when using statistics in our publications. I advised them that the Office for National Statistics has responsibility for Census categories.

Licence Conditions (Non-compliance)

Paul Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders have been returned to custody for non-compliance with licence conditions (a) in each of the last 24 months and (b) in each year since 1992.

Paul Goggins: The information requested is provided in the table.
	Information on recall of Automatic Conditional Release and Non-Parole prisoners was not recorded centrally on the prison establishment IT system until 1999. Information on the reasons why life licensees have had their life licences revoked is only available from October 2002.
	
		Offenders returned to custody on account of non-compliance with licence conditions, by type of licence England and Wales, 1992–2004
		
			  Automatic conditional Discretionary conditional release  
			  release Paroled Not paroled Life licence 
		
		
			 1992  983   
			 1993  773   
			 1994  300   
			 1995–96  205   
			 1996–97  233   
			 1997–98  190   
			 1998–99  233   
			 1999–2000 38 250 427  
			 2000–01 1,637 267 524  
			 2001–02 3,439 329 655  
			 2002–03 4,950 420 907  
			 2003–04 6,415 590 1,123  
			  
			 September 2002 474 35 69  
			 October 2002 568 38 92 1 
			 November 2002 443 39 83 1 
			 December 2002 438 28 79 — 
			 January 2003 544 37 95 1 
			 February 2003 542 42 91 — 
			 March 2003 556 45 85 2 
			 April 2003 499 35 94 1 
			 May 2003 562 41 91 — 
			 June 2003 565 52 106 — 
			 July 2003 598 53 97 2 
			 August 2003 527 39 94 — 
			 September 2003 500 51 74 1 
			 October 2003 619 47 100 3 
			 November 2003 487 53 82 5 
			 December 2003 536 55 100 1 
			 January 2004 612 61 91 1 
			 February 2004 670 45 76 — 
			 March 2004 627 58 118 1 
			 April 2004 509 57 76 — 
			 May 2004 518 56 73 — 
			 June 2004 583 73 105 2 
			 July 2004 578 73 90 1 
			 August 2004 503 56 81 2

Literacy/Numeracy

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to improve literacy and numeracy among offenders; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: Since April 2001 over 130,000 nationally accredited literacy, numeracy and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) qualifications from entry level to level 2 have been achieved by offenders in custody in England—a major contribution to the Government's targets for improving basic skills. We have appointed Heads of Learning and Skills in all prisons to drive up standards for improving literacy and numeracy.
	We are working closely with key partners to develop a new model for delivering a better and more integrated service for offenders, both in prison and in the community. The new service will be informed by development work in the north east, north west and south west regions, which will try out new models. To support this we are providing substantial additional investment to improve the quality and quantity of offender learning.

Lockouts

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 8 June 2004, Official Report, column 333W, what final figure for the cost of lockouts is in 2003–04, and what the (a) total cost and (b) number of lockouts was in each area in each of the last five years.

Paul Goggins: As explained in my answer of 8 June 2004, Official Report, column 333W, to question 172412, there were 791 lockouts in 2003–04.
	The total expenditure on lockouts in 2003–04 was £188,353. This includes a proportion of lockout costs incurred in previous years.
	Details of the number of lockouts and total costs for the financial years 1998–99 to 2002–03 are set out in the tables.
	
		Total lockouts 2003–04
		
			   1 April 2003 1 May 2003 1 June 2003 1 July 2003 
		
		
			 Area 1 S. Wales and West 9 3 2 25 
			 Area 2 South and South East 2 2 0 5 
			 Area 3 Met.Police district 6 3 0 0 
			 Area 4 East Anglia 42 21 13 23 
			 Area 5 West Midlands and Mid Wales 0 0 1 5 
			 Area 6 Merseyside and North Wales 15 7 19 12 
			 Area 7 East Midlands and Humberside 24 20 28 51 
			 Area 8 The North 13 13 20 30 
			 Total  111 69 83 151 
		
	
	
		
			   1 August 2003 1 September 2003 1 October 2003 1 November 2003 
		
		
			 Area 1 S. Wales and West 4 0 5 1 
			 Area 2 South and South East 2 0 0 1 
			 Area 3 Met.Police district 0 0 0 0 
			 Area 4 East Anglia 4 6 4 1 
			 Area 5 West Midlands and Mid Wales 0 6 0 0 
			 Area 6 Merseyside and North Wales 1 6 5 3 
			 Area 7 East Midlands and Humberside 9 17 3 3 
			 Area 8 The North 5 10 8 11 
			 Total  25 45 25 20 
		
	
	
		
			   1 December 2003 1 January 2004 1 February 2004 1 March 2004 Total 
		
		
			 Area 1 S. Wales and West 0 0 0 2 51 
			 Area 2 South and South East 0 0 0 0 12 
			 Area 3 Met.Police district 0 1 0 0 10 
			 Area 4 East Anglia 0 15 15 9 153 
			 Area 5 West Midlands and Mid Wales 0 13 20 0 45 
			 Area 6 Merseyside and North Wales 1 0 7 4 73 
			 Area 7 East Midlands and Humberside 6 20 66 16 263 
			 Area 8 The North 1 6 63 4 184 
			 Total  8 55 171 35 791

Money Payment Supervision Orders

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many money payment supervision orders were made in each of the last 10 years.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 27 October 2004
	The numbers of persons starting supervision by the probation service under a Money Payment Supervision Order in England and Wales are given in the table. The figures are for the last available 10 years.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1993 4,258 
			 1994 3,928 
			 1995 3,318 
			 1996 6,447 
			 1997 4,563 
			 1998 3,016 
			 1999 2,270 
			 2000 1,689 
			 2001 1,250 
			 2002 1,322

Mountain Rescue Teams

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been brought against people who have assaulted members of a mountain rescue team sent out to rescue them in the last five years.

Paul Goggins: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Ms Maliheh Sadeghi Bourojerdi

Stephen Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what grounds he is seeking to appeal against the determination of the Immigration Adjudicator promulgated on 17 September in the case of Ms Maliheh Sadeghi Bourojerdi; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: holding answer 26 October 2004
	A copy of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate's grounds of appeal to the Immigration Appeal Tribunal in this case were sent to my right hon. Friend on 19 October.

Multi-agency Public Protection Arrangements

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) police officers and (b) probation officers are employed in monitoring high-risk offenders under the multi-agency public protection arrangements; and how many are engaged (i) full-time and (ii) part-time in these duties.

Paul Goggins: The Criminal Justice Act 2003 strengthened and extended the statutory responsibilities of the police, probation and the prison service in each of the 42 areas of England and Wales in respect of multi-agency public protection operational demands of this work there is no centrally collated information that allows arrangements (MAPPA). While police and probation areas are responding to the us to determine precisely how many staff from each agency are currently deployed. Within the national probation service there are currently 4,770 trained probation officers able to supervise high-risk offenders, though it is not possible to establish how many are specifically engaged in this activity at any one time.

Murder Law Review

Malcolm Savidge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to change the law on murder, with particular reference to the partial defence of provocation in domestic homicide.

Paul Goggins: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced in a statement to the House on 28 October that the Government is setting up a review into the law on murder. This follows publication in August of the Law Commission report 'Partial Defences to Murder' (Law Com No 290) in which they identified the need for a fundamental review. Full terms of reference will be announced in due course.

Murder Law Review

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the proposed review on the law of murder announced on 28 October will apply to Scots criminal law.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 4 November 2004
	Yes. The review will look at the law in England and Wales. The criminal law in Scotland is devolved. But we are, and will remain, in touch with the Scottish Executive to ensure they are fully aware of the review.

Murder/Manslaughter Charges

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been charged with (a) murder, (b) attempted murder and (c) manslaughter in England and Wales this year.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 26 October 2004
	Statistics on the number of defendants charged with an offence are not collected centrally.
	However, the latest available information on the number of defendants 1 proceeded against at magistrates' courts, England and Wales, 2002 is:
	1 These data are on the principal offence basis.
	
		
			  
		
		
			 Murder 713 
			 Attempted murder 465 
			 Manslaughter 112 
		
	
	Statistics for 2003 will be published in November.

National Offender Management Service

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional resources will be made available to the Probation Service in the event of its incorporation within the National Offender Management Service.

Paul Goggins: Under the National Offender Management Service, the allocation of additional resources to the Probation Service remains subject to the normal Spending Review and Home Office departmental planning round processes. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary recently announced that the total number of probation staff would be increased by 1,800 over the next two years.

National Offender Management Service

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will convene job specific selection boards for the posts of (a) human resources director and (b) director of standards for the National Offender Management Service.

Paul Goggins: Both Director posts have been filled, in accordance with Civil Service procedures, by Home Office officials who are in the equivalent grade.

National Offender Management Service

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people will be employed by each regional offender manager during (a) 2004–05 and (b) 2005–06; and what the overall cost of those staff will be.

Paul Goggins: The number of staff to be employed by the Regional Offender Management Service (ROMS) have yet to be determined. Offender managers, currently employed by probation areas, will support the ROM for their region.

National Offender Management Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the business case on the creation of the National Offender Management Service will be published.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 8 November 2004
	The draft detailed business case is currently being prepared and will be completed shortly.

National Offender Management Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there has been a Gateway Zero Review in respect of the National Offender Management Service.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 8 November 2004
	The pre Gateway Review was carried out during the summer and the Office of Government Commerce have been asked to perform a "Gateway Review 0-Strategic Assessment". We are still considering the most appropriate timing for this.

National Offender Management Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many responses to the National Offender Management Service consultation documents issued in (a) January and (b) May favour the concept of contestability.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 8 November 2004
	There have been two formal written consultation documents issued on the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) since January 2004. Over 400 responses were received in total. These responses have given very strong support for the vision behind the establishment of NOMS—namely the bringing together of prisons and probation to enable more effective management of offenders.
	Respondents were not asked to express their support or otherwise for contestability and indeed many did not do so. More detailed analysis of this issue is included in the Government's response, announced to Parliament on Tuesday 26 October.

National Offender Management Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he will take to increase the (a) confidence and (b) morale of (i) Probation and (ii) Prison staff in the National Offender Management Service.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 8 November 2004
	The National Offender Management Board recognises the importance of engaging prison and probation staff in the introduction of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS). The Government's two consultation exercises on NOMS, the responses to which were announced to the House on 26 October, demonstrate a commitment to open and inclusive dialogue.
	A Joint Consultative Council, to which all recognised prison and probation unions and staff associations have been invited, will provide a forum for consultation on NOMS-related issues affecting members of staff. The JCC will meet for the first time in November.
	The NOMS Change Programme includes a Human Resources and Organisational Development Sub-Programme, specifically intended to create a sustainable organisation and culture at the heart of NOMS.

National Offender Management Service

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when job descriptions for Regional Offender Managers under the National Offender Management Service arrangements will be published; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: I set out the key roles to be undertaken by the Regional Offender Managers in my written ministerial statement of 20 July 2004. It is not current practise to publish individual job descriptions.

National Offender Management Service

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who will (a) be responsible for and (b) speak on behalf of the National Probation Service under the National Offender Management Service arrangements.

Paul Goggins: Martin Narey, Chief Executive of the National Offender Management Service, is responsible for the National Probation Service. Appropriate officials will speak on behalf of the National Probation Service depending on the issues involved.

National Offender Management Service

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether a business plan has been drawn up for the National Offender Management Service.

Paul Goggins: The case for the establishment of the National Offender Management Service is outlined in Patrick Carter's independent report "Managing Offenders—Reducing Crime" published along with the Government response "Reducing Crime—Changing Lives" on 6 January 2004. A draft business case is currently being prepared.

National Offender Management Service

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what mechanisms will be put in place to measure the effectiveness of the National Offender Management Service.

Paul Goggins: The main aim of the National Offender Management Service is to reduce re-offending. There is a rolling programme of research to evaluate the impact of individual programmes. In addition, specific targets are set for the individual services within the National Offender Management Service, for example on the rate of escapes from prisons and escorts. These are published in the services' Business Plans and progress against the targets is published in their Annual Reports.

National Offender Management Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what risk assessment has been carried out on the consequences of (a) workers from across the Home Office, Prison and Probation Services and (b) stakeholders, with particular reference to (i) unions and (ii) hon. Members not being fully engaged and committed to the implementation of the National Offender Management Service; and what the results were;
	(2)  what risk assessment has been carried out on (a) the possibility of staff numbers and competencies falling below acceptable levels in front line services in the National Offender Management Service, (b) the complexity and scale and scope of the overall change programme of the National Offender Management Service and (c) the possibility of a high profile incident or industrial action in the National Offender Management Service; and what the results were in each case.

Paul Goggins: As part of the process of setting up the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), a comprehensive risk management strategy has been established, providing for the assessment, monitoring and managing of risks across the Change Programme. Risk assessments have been carried out in detail and at strategic level across the Programme. The results have been agreed with the NOMS directors and reported to the NOMS board and to other governance bodies within the Home Office. In keeping with normal practice across Government, it is not intended to publish the findings of these assessments.
	The assessments cover all aspects of the Programme, including policy, implementation, people and process issues. The risk registers are continually updated as the Programme evolves and the risks change.

National Offender Management Service

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the role of the market in the work of the National Offender Management Service.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 24 March 2004
	The role of the market in the work of the National Offender Management Service is based on the principle that best quality and best value for money in the supervision, punishment and care of offenders will be achieved by ensuring that services are opened up through competition to all potential providers.

National Offender Management Service

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the job description for regional offender mangers in the National Offender Management Service will be published.

Paul Goggins: I set out the key roles to be undertaken by the Regional Offender Managers in my written ministerial statement of 20 July 2004, Official Report, column 17WS. It is not current practice to publish individual job descriptions.

National Offender Management Service

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans there are for the public sector prison service to become self financing under the new National Offender Management Service structure.

Paul Goggins: The public sector prison service is financed from funds voted by Parliament and delegated to the Director General by the chief executive of the National Offender Management Service. It also receives funds for education, health care and juvenile establishments from Department for Education and Skills (DfES), Department of Health (DoH) and the Youth Justice Board (YJB) respectively. Plans to introduce commissioning of places in public sector prisons are currently being developed as part of the Correctional Services reforms.

National Offender Management Service

Ann Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who will be responsible for setting the categorisation of prison establishments under the National Offender Management Service.

Paul Goggins: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) has responsibility for monitoring the size and composition of the prison population, and for planning to meet overall need. Security arrangements for the categorisation of prisoners are being managed within the Prison Service on behalf of NOMS.
	Security related decisions about the use of prisons include input from operational and security staff, property managers, estate planners and the senior management of NOMS. If a significant change in the function of a prison is proposed the good practice described in the Prison Services' Agency framework is followed and ministers are advised.
	Through the changes brought about by the implementation of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 and NOMS the focus on public safety and security will be maintained.

Non-custodial Sentences

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment has been made of the criteria used by magistrates and judges when deciding between a custodial or community penalty.

Paul Goggins: The current statute which bears on the use of custodial and community penalties by sentencers is the Powers of Criminal Courts Sentencing Act 2000. This states that any penalty must reflect the seriousness of the offence for which it is imposed and the personal circumstances of the offender.
	To impose a custodial penalty, the offence must be so serious that only such a sentence can be justified; or where the offence is violent or sexual, that only such a sentence would be adequate to protect the public from serious harm.
	Seriousness and risk will remain the basis of sentencing decisions under the Criminal Justice Act 2003 provisions.
	This legislation established the Sentencing Guidelines Council, which is responsible for issuing detailed sentencing guidelines to all courts. They have recently published draft guidelines on the assessment of seriousness. These are currently the subject of consultation and can be found at www.sentencing-guidelines.gov.uk/draftguidelines/index.

Overseas Corruption Offences

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many meetings officials in his Department have recently held with (a) companies and (b) industry bodies to discuss (i) legislation and (ii) enforcement relating to overseas bribery; and if he will list the companies or industry bodies with which officials from his Department met.

Paul Goggins: The most recent meeting involving the Confederation of British Industry and Home Office officials at which legislation on overseas bribery was discussed was on 27 October 2004. Home Office officials have not recently discussed this issue with any individual company. Enforcement of the legislation is a matter for law enforcement agencies.

Paddy Dixon

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assistance he is giving to the Police Service of Northern Ireland in locating Paddy Dixon for interview.

Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
	I am advised that the Police Service of Northern Ireland has not sought assistance from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department with regard to this matter.

Police

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how he intends to distribute the £50 million Neighbourhood Policing Fund.

Hazel Blears: The £50 million which launches the Neighbourhood Policing Fund will allow police forces in England and Wales to increase the number of Community Support Officers (CSOs) to 5,500 by the end of March, 2005 and will be available to forces from January 2005. Forces have made bids under the-fund and will be notified of their allocations shortly. In making distributions under the first round of funding we will consider a number of factors including current CSO numbers in each force.

Police

Brian White: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been employed by Thames Valley Police in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (a) local authority and (b) basic command unit.

Hazel Blears: A table of police personnel strength for the Thames Valley police since March 1994 is set out in the table.
	
		
			 Year (as at 31 March) Number of police officers Number of police (support) staff 
		
		
			 1994 3,908 1,522 
			 1995 3,854 1,706 
			 1996 3,674 1,738 
			 1997 3,695 1,825 
			 1998 3,776 1,827 
			 1999 3,748 1,799 
			 2000 3,740 1,786 
			 2001 3,703 1,891 
			 2002 3,762 2,061 
			 2003 3,833 2,398 
			 2004 4,034 2,589 
			 2004 (31 August) 4,139 Not available 
		
	
	Information on strength at Basic Command Unit (BCU) level is collected annually and reflects the position at the end of March. Information on BCU strength is only available from 2002. BCU strength between March 2002 and March 2004 is set out in the table.
	
		
			 BCU March 2002 March 2003 March 2004 
		
		
			 Aylesbury Vale 177 194 196 
			 Chiltern Vale 298 293 321 
			 Milton Keynes 342 346 371 
			 Northern Oxfordshire 281 301 296 
			 Oxford 316 317 336 
			 Reading and Wokingham 369 387 434 
			 Slough and District 254 264 297 
			 Southern Oxfordshire 253 255 267 
			 Thames Forest 309 307 339 
			 West Berkshire 160 159 185 
			 Total BCU Strength 2,759 2,823 3,042 
		
	
	It is not possible to provide police numbers at local authority level.
	The deployment of officers to BCUs is a matter for the Chief Constable (Mr. Peter Neyroud QPM) and within the Thames Valley Police Basic Command Units deployment of officers is a matter for divisional commanders.

Police

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will encourage police forces to have cheaper alternatives to alloy wheels fitted to police vehicles.

Hazel Blears: Decisions regarding procurement are operational matters for the chief constable within policing plans set by the Police Authority.
	Since 1992 the Police Information Technology Organisation, with the support of the National Association of Police Fleet Managers, has put in place a number of national frameworks for the purchase of vehicles by the police service, on which police authorities may draw. They deliver significant discounts on manufacturers prices.

Prison (Racial Incidents)

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for The Home Department what improvements have been made in procedures for investigations of racial incidents and complaints in prison.

Paul Goggins: Following a review of the racist incidents reporting system, a dedicated form for registering racist incidents is now available across the whole of the prison estate. This form can be completed by anyone who is a victim or a witness to an incident within the prison. The purpose of the revised form is to improve: the recording of racist incidents; the response to individual reports, thereby increasing the confidence of victims; the monitoring of the information available so that prisons can make improvements in race.
	The form has a tear-off slip, which must be given to the person reporting the incident (victim or witness) as proof that a report has been submitted. This is intended to increase confidence in the system and to form part of an audit trail. The form also requires that any decision by a complainant or witness to withdraw a complaint is thoroughly explored and any possibility of intimidation is explicitly examined and ruled out.
	The responsibility of ensuring that investigations are carried out effectively rests with the Governing Governor of each establishment, or the Head of Group for Headquarters units. As part of their responsibilities the Race Relations Management Teams in each establishment are required to monitor the investigation of racist complaints and their outcomes.
	The training course for those carrying out investigations was revised and improved at the beginning of 2004. The course includes specific training on dealing with race related complaints.
	The joint Prison Service/Commission for Racial Equality Race Equality Action Plan recognises that further improvements need to be made with regard to the quality and thoroughness of the investigations of racial incidents. The Service has begun to develop a programme of work to assess the feasibility of having external bodies such as Race Equality Councils, review the adequacy of racist incident investigations.

Prison and Probation Funding

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how much of the increase in prison and probation funding announced on 29 September had not previously been announced;
	(2)  how much of the uplift for correctional services announced in September is funding which had not previously been announced.

Paul Goggins: Of the £312 million resource uplift for correctional services referred to by the Home Secretary on 29 September, £72 million had not been announced previously.

Prison Education Programmes

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders were moved during part of their NVQ course in 2003–04; and how many of those were able to continue their courses in their next prison.

Paul Goggins: The information requested is not collated centrally and could be collected from individual establishments only at a disproportionate cost.

Prison Population

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contingency plans are in place if the expected reductions in the prison population outlined in Reducing Crime—Changing Lives are not realised.

Paul Goggins: The impact of population pressures is kept under careful review. The National Offender Management Service will continue to investigate options for further increases in capacity over the coming years.
	In addition to the extra 2,400 places already planned, funding of around £100 million has now been provided for a new programme to create a further 1,300 prison places. This will increase the total operating capacity of the prison estate to around 80,800 places by 2006–07.
	The National Offender Management Service also has options and plans in place for the development of new prison sites, if required.

Prison Service

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what technical qualifications were held by the fire safety specialists who carried out the in-house review of the Prison Service fire safety advisers.

Paul Goggins: The review of fire safety in prisons was focused primarily on organisational efficiency. As such, technically qualified fire personnel were not required to take part. The fire safety work was reviewed in the light of the needs of the Prison Service and appropriate legal advice was received from Treasury solicitors.

Prison Service

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the cost in the Prison Service of staff sickness due to smoke inhalation caused by fires in Prison Service buildings in each of the past five years.

Paul Goggins: Information on levels of sickness by Prison Service staff due to smoke inhalation caused by fires is not available. Any staff that had suffered illness due to smoke inhalation are included within overall statistics of staff injured at work. The proportion of staff experiencing the effects of smoke inhalation is not known.
	While staff may be affected during local incidents, Prison Service Health and Safety managers consider that the impact of smoke inhalation caused by fires on overall staff sickness rates is minimal.

Prison Service

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the (a) policy on and (b) levels of automatic fire suppression systems in prisons in England and Wales.

Paul Goggins: Automatic fire suppression systems are in place in the high fire risk areas of prisons, such as parts of kitchens and workshops, and at HMP Weare.
	The Prison Service has recently commissioned a team from the Building Research Establishment (Fire) to carry out an independent survey into all aspects of fire safety in both the public and private prisons.

Prison Service

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what basis a further Prison Service inquiry is taking place into the case of Gary Rowland, Malcolm Watkins and Shaun Kerry of Elmley prison.

Paul Goggins: Gary Rowland, Malcolm Watkins and Shaun Kerry have been subject to a Prison Service disciplinary investigation into a number of alleged breaches of the Prison Service Code of Conduct and Discipline. That investigation recommended that disciplinary charges should be laid against all three men and their cases have been referred to a disciplinary hearing.
	The nature of the work of the Prison Service demands that all members of the service observe appropriate standards of conduct. Where it is believed they may have failed to do so, the disciplinary process may be invoked, as in this case.
	The Code of Conduct and Discipline encompasses but is not exclusive to criminal offences, accordingly members of staff who are cleared of criminal offences may still find themselves subject to disciplinary investigation.

Prison Volunteers

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hours of service were provided by volunteers from the community working in prisons in the last year.

Paul Goggins: Information on the number of hours of service provided by volunteers from the community working in prisons is not collected centrally. There are 1,800 volunteers who are members of Independent Monitoring Boards and 1,400 Prison Visitors. In addition nearly 3,600 volunteers offer a wide range of support to prisoners and their families including: helping to run Visitor Centres and play facilities in prisons; providing refreshments in visits halls; training and supporting Listeners; one to one basic skills support; individual counselling and group work; language and cultural support. In addition a recent survey carried out by the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies has shown over 4,000 volunteers support the work of prison chaplaincies giving 11,450 hours per month.

Prisoner Rehabilitation

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on steps to encourage the rehabilitation of prisoners.

Paul Goggins: The Government set out its plans to reduce re-offending through more effective rehabilitation, in an action plan published on 19 July. Over 60 action points have been agreed across Government covering a number of key areas, including accommodation, employment, and drug treatment. The policy is set within the context of our plans to develop the National Offender Management Service and implement the new sentencing framework, both of which will radically improve the scope for rehabilitation of offenders. Copies of the Reducing Re-offending National Action Plan have been placed in the Library of the House.

Prisoner Visits

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the arrangements for long serving prisoners to receive escorted visits to terminally ill relatives; and what plans he has to review the criteria for such visits.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 4 November 2004
	Under the Temporary Release Policy, there are provisions for a governor to allow accompanied compassionate release for eligible prisoners to visit terminally ill relatives. The following are ineligible for compassionate release: prisoners who are in category A or on the escape list; unconvicted and convicted unsentenced prisoners; prisoners who are subject to extradition proceedings; sentenced prisoners who are remanded on further charges and those who are awaiting sentence following further convictions. The role of the member of staff accompanying the prisoner is to provide guidance and support to the prisoner, not to be a security escort. The prisoner has sole responsibility for compliance with the temporary release licence conditions and return to the establishment. Prisoners serving any length of sentence may apply for compassionate temporary release providing they are not listed in the excluded categories. Any temporary release may only be authorised following a successful risk assessment. A review of all temporary release policy is currently taking place. However, it is not proposed to change the arrangements for compassionate release.
	In the case of prisoners who are ineligible for release on temporary compassionate licence, governors can authorise a visit to a terminally ill relative under security escort. In such instances the prisoner remains in legal custody and the escorting officer(s) have the power to physically detain them in the event of an escape attempt.

Prisoners

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions a prisoner has failed to return when on temporary licence from prison during each of the last three years.

Paul Goggins: The number of temporary release failures reported by the Prison Service Incident Reporting System for the last three calendar years are set out in the following table. The incidents reported include breaches of other licence conditions such as committing an offence while on temporary release or returning to the prison under the influence of alcohol. Data relating specifically to failure to return are not collated. The number of failures represents 0.1 per cent. of the total number of licences issued each year.
	
		
			  Calendar year Number or reported temporary release failures 
		
		
			 2001 278 
			 2002 319 
			 2003 367

Prisoners

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the reason is for the difference in the public and private sector targets for the percentage of prisoners held in accommodation units intended for fewer prisoners in 2004–05.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 29 June 2004
	The difference in these targets reflects a number of differences between publicly and privately operated prisons. Prisons operated by the private sector are generally of newer design and construction and have larger cells that can accommodate extra beds: many older public sector prisons have smaller cells that cannot accommodate extra beds. Some privately operated prisons were designed with scope to increase regime facilities in case of overcrowding while many public sector prisons have limited capacity to increase regime services. The private sector has, proportionately, more local prisons, which have traditionally been more overcrowded than other types of prison.

Prisons

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the reasons for the change in the female prison population between 1998 and October 2003; and what assessment he has made of the effect of the change on community safety.

Paul Goggins: The female prison population increased from 3,157 on 31 October 1998 to 4,462 on 31 October 2003, with the remand population increasing by 289 (42 per cent.) and the sentenced population by 1,004 (41 per cent.). A major factor in the increase in the sentenced population has been the increase in those sentenced for drugs offences, with the population under immediate custodial sentence for drugs offences increasing from 794 in June 1 1998 to 1,277 in October 2003. Other factors influencing the increase in the female prison population are increases in the number of females received into prison on remand, increases in the number of females received into prison under sentence, and increases in average sentence lengths for some offence groups.
	There has been no specific research regarding the effects of changes in the female prison population on community safety. We are concerned, though, about the wider impact of women's imprisonment, in particular on families and children who are separated from their mothers, and are therefore taking forward the Women's Offending Reduction Programme to tackle women's offending specifically and reduce the numbers ending up in custody.
	1 Figures for October 1998 are not available

Prisons

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when vocational training will become a fully integrated part of the Sentence Planning Process.

Paul Goggins: The Government is committed to improving offenders' learning and skills. A key element of the new service we are developing in partnership with the Learning and Skills Council will be an integrated approach to education and training where learning is embedded across regimes. The focus will be on meeting individual needs through effective assessment as part of Individual Learning Plans. The new service will be introduced progressively from September 2005.
	Enabling prisoners to gain skills and qualifications which will help them secure employment on release is already an important aspect of sentence management, and we expect individual needs and training objectives to be reflected in the sentence planning process.

Prisons

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he has taken to prevent further violent incidents at HMP Wormwood Scrubs; and if he will make a statement on the merits of initiating a public inquiry.

Paul Goggins: Wormwood Scrubs prison is a much improved prison. Recent management teams at Wormwood Scrubs have worked hard to develop and implement wide reaching reforms that have radically altered its culture. Robust systems are now in place to ensure that all complaints and, in particular, allegations of unprofessional conduct by staff towards prisoners are thoroughly investigated.
	The most recent visit by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector in November 2003 confirms this progress. The Chief Inspector found 'a greatly improved prison, gradually implementing and consolidating fundamental changes'. Most noticeable of all was 'the change in attitude and approach of Prison Officers". I am confident that such fundamental changes will prevent a return to the kind of violent incidents witnessed in the 1990s.
	We are currently considering the request for a public enquiry.

Prisons

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the education budget for prisons in England and Wales was in each of the last three years.

Paul Goggins: Funding for the delivery of learning and skills to offenders rests in the request for resources of the Department for Education and Skills, and is administered jointly by DfES and the Home Office through the Offenders' Learning and Skills Unit. Prisons are allocated a total education budget and have flexibility to use this to purchase education to meet their learners' needs. Core funding for prisoners' education for the last three years was:
	
		
			  Financial year Education expenditure (£ million) 
		
		
			 2001–02 52.6 
			 2002–03 59.4 
			 2003–04 70.9

Prisons

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what pay and job comparison has been carried out between prison officers employed in the Prison Service and administrative staff of his Department since 1997; and if he will publish the findings.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 13 October 2004
	There has been no direct comparison made between the pay and jobs of prison officers and administrative staff since 1997. Job Evaluations of Prison Service staff carried out in this period have all been in connection with the development, implementation and maintenance of its pay and grading review. Sample evaluations have been made of the jobs of almost all disciplines of staff, including prison officers and administrative grades, but none has been made for the purpose of direct comparison between different disciplines.

Prisons

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has (a) to expand the Full Sutton prison site in East Yorkshire and (b) to develop land adjoining this site; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 14 October 2004
	There are no plans to expand the site at Full Sutton prison at this stage. The Prison Service owns a site adjacent to Full Sutton, and the possible development of this site has been under consideration, as an option for providing additional capacity as and when it may be needed. No final decision has been made on whether or not to proceed.

Prisons

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether prison video-link equipment has been used for the recording of an interview between a police officer and a prisoner.

Paul Goggins: Prison video-link equipment does not have the facility to record interviews.

Prisons

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of prisons have a visitors' centre.

Paul Goggins: On the latest information available, 112 prisons have access to a visitors' centre. This equates to 79 per cent. of the prison estate.

Prisons

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many strip searches have taken place in prisons in England and Wales during the last 12 months.

Paul Goggins: This information is not collated centrally and cannot be provided except at a disproportionate cost.

Prisons

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) state-run and (b) privately-run prisons there are in the UK.

Paul Goggins: There are 136 prisons in England and Wales (including young offenders institutions), excluding Dover and Haslar, which are managed by the Prison Service on behalf of Immigration and Nationality Directorate. 10 of the 136 prisons in England and Wales are run by the private sector.
	Prisons in Scotland and Northern Ireland are the responsibility of the Scottish Executive and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland respectively. There are 16 prisons in Scotland, one of which is operated by the private sector. Northern Ireland has three prisons, all of which are in the public sector.

Prisons

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on the establishment of new prisons in England and Wales; and if he will list the proposed sites of these prisons.

Paul Goggins: HMP Peterborough, a new purpose-built prison, is expected to open in March 2005. This will provide a further 840 places. No decisions have yet been made regarding the construction of any other new prison establishments, but the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) keeps capacity within the prison estate under review. NOMS owns two sites, one in Merseyside and one in London, with outline planning consent to build two 600-place prisons.
	The Budget 2003 settlement also provided funds to acquire at least two more sites in 2004–05 for the future development of large multi-function 1,500-place prisons. A search programme to identify suitable sites for purchase is currently taking place. It is not possible to list sites being considered for purchase, due to commercial considerations.

Prisons

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress of the intermittent custody pilots which have been taking place in two purpose-built prison units since January.

Paul Goggins: Intermittent custody (IC) originates from the Government's determination to avoid some of the negative outcomes (loss of employment, accommodation and family breakdown) which can accompany even relatively short periods of full-time custody.
	An IC order is imposed by a court only on the basis of a stringent risk assessment by the national probation service and only those offenders assessed as being of lower risk to the public are suitable for IC.
	Under the terms of the sentence, custody is served intermittently, either at weekends or on weekdays, for a number of days each week. Offenders spend non-custodial days under the supervision of the national probation service. This enables them to maintain their existing employment or caring responsibilities or to look for work.
	IC pilots based at Kirkham, in Lancashire, for male offenders, and at Morton Hall, in Lincolnshire, for females, have been running since 26 January 2004. Up to 22 October, a total of 120 IC orders had been imposed, 82 on male offenders and 38 on females. There are currently 39 extant custody cases, 30 at Kirkham and nine at Morton Hall.
	We are continuing to learn from the pilots, but the early indications are that IC is regarded as a valuable addition to the range of sentencing options, both by sentencers and offenders. This positive reaction to IC among offenders has translated into a high level of compliance, despite the onerous nature of the sentence.
	It is already clear that there is a significant group of offenders for whom Weekend IC is an appropriate option. However, the take-up for Weekday IC has been relatively low. The disparity between the number of Weekend and Weekday IC orders was exacerbated by the need to clarify the benefit entitlements of IC offenders. This matter has been largely resolved and we are now seeking to promote the option of Weekday IC among probation officers and sentencers.
	IC has been successful in enabling offenders to maintain their employment, accommodation and family ties. This has been particularly important for female offenders with caring responsibilities for dependant children. Male IC offenders have been able to retain their jobs and, in two cases, offenders operating small businesses were able to preserve the jobs of their employees.
	On 29 September, the Home Secretary announced his intention to expand the use of IC and we are now working on the most effective ways of achieving this.

Prisons

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many category A prisoners who were (a) men and (b) women were detained in prisons in England and Wales on 1 October.

Paul Goggins: On 1 October there were 897 men and six women in prisons in England and Wales, with a category A classification.

Prisons

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison inmates who were (a) men under the age of 21 years and (b) women under the age of 21 years were serving a prison sentence in England and Wales on 1 March 2003.

Paul Goggins: On 28 February 2003, there were 8,111 male young offenders and 439 female young offenders in prison under sentence in England and Wales.
	The figures include fine defaulters and young offenders who have turned 21 but who have not been reclassified as adults.

Prisons

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether all prisons in England and Wales have education facilities for inmates; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: All prisons in England and Wales have education facilities for offenders. Funding for offender learning in 2004–05 is £127 million and includes £10 million for the delivery of learning and skills to offenders under supervision in the community. In addition, offender learning and skills has benefited from investment of £20 million from the Treasury's Capital Modernisation Fund, £4.4 million in 2002–03 and £15.6 million in 2003–04.

Prisons

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the (a) total and (b) average number of hours owed were for (i) principal officers, (ii) senior officers, (iii) prison officers and (iv) operational support grades for each Prison Service establishment on the last Saturday of each of the last 12 months as shown on each establishment's SPAR F form.

Paul Goggins: The information requested is no longer collated centrally and has been devolved to establishments to monitor and manage on an individual basis. The information requested could be collected only at a disproportionate cost.

Prisons

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans further studies into the relationship between diet and behaviour in prisons and young offender institutions; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: Research into the possible link between nutrition and offending behaviour in young offenders is currently being considered by the Home Office. We are exploring the possibility of conducting research within a community setting, both in relation to sentences served in the community and to re-offending rates post-custody. In addition the Prison Service has offered access to Natural Justice for research on the impact of diet on behaviour.
	Interest has been generated by an earlier 1996 study on diet and behaviour at Aylesbury young offender institution. The results appeared to show a positive effect on behaviour, although the number of prisoners involved was too small to make the drawing of wider conclusions possible. The study did not follow up the young offenders once they had been released, so it was not possible to measure the impact on re-offending.

Prisons

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what analysis he has made of the study at Her Majesty's Young Offender Institution Aylesbury of connections between diet and behaviour; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: In 1996 the charity "Natural Justice", with the support of the Prison Service, conducted research into the effects of diet on behaviour at Aylesbury young offender institution. This work was reviewed by Home Office researchers who concluded that, while the results appeared to show a positive effect on behaviour, the number of prisoners involved were too small to make the drawing of wider conclusions possible.
	The study did not follow up the young offenders once they had been released so it has not been possible to measure the impact on re-offending.

Prisons

Paul Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many prisoners who began intensive drug treatment programmes in 2003–04 (a) completed and (b) dropped out of the programme;
	(2)  if he will list the prisons which run internal drug treatment programmes, broken down by type of programme.

Paul Goggins: In 2003–04, of the 4,703 prisoners entering intensive drug treatment programmes, there were 2,418 completions. The list of prisons that run internal drug treatment programmes is given in the following table. External contractors also run drug programmes in some of these and other prisons.
	Drug treatment programmes run internally
	Accredited programmes
	PASRO 1 
	Ashwell—East Midlands South
	Chelmsford—Eastern
	Elmley—Kent, Surrey and Sussex
	Glen Parva—East Midlands South
	Haverigg—North West
	Lancaster Castle—North West
	Leeds—Yorkshire and Humberside
	Liverpool—North West
	Low Newton—North East
	Maidstone—Kent, Surrey and Sussex
	Moorlands—Yorkshire and Humberside
	Parc—Wales
	Risley—North West
	Rochester—Kent, Surrey and Sussex
	Stafford—West Midlands
	Swinfen Hall—West Midlands
	Wayland—Eastern
	Ranby—East Midlands North
	STOP 2 
	Gartree—East Midlands South
	Stocken—East Midlands South
	Other programmes
	Validated 3 
	Ashfield—Juveniles
	Bristol—South West
	Nottingham—East Midlands
	Reading—Thames Valley
	Short duration programme 4 
	Bedford—Eastern
	Exeter—South West
	New Hall—Female Estate
	Nottingham—East Midlands
	Wormwood Scrubs—London
	Manchester—North West
	Blakenhurst—West Midlands
	Glen Parva—East Midlands South
	Pentonville—London
	Birmingham—West Midlands
	Swansea—Wales.
	1 PASRO—Prisons Addressing Substance Related Offending.
	2 STOP—Substance, Treatment and Offending Programme. 3 Area Manager Validated sites. Framework fully adheres to the NTA definition within tier 3. 4 Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for short-term and remand prisoners, which provides a suitable platform for release into the community.

Prisons

Paul Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Prison Service's review of the Counselling, Assessment, Referral, Advice and Through-care Services (CARATs) for prisoners with drug misuse problems has been completed; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The review of Counselling, Assessment, Referral, Advice and Through-care (CARATs) services has been completed. A new CARAT Practice Manual, based on the review, is now in preparation and will be published on the Prison Service website (www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk).

Prisons

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the latest figures are for (a) capacity and (b) unused capacity in each prison in Wales.

Paul Goggins: The figures in the table show the operational capacity and the population of all prisons in Wales as at November 2005.
	
		
			 Establishment Operational capacity Population Operational capacity—population 
		
		
			 Cardiff 724 732 8 
			 Parc 1,036 998 38 
			 Prescoed 170 167 3 
			 Swansea 348 321 27 
			 Usk 250 245 5

Prisons

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals were held in prisons in England and Wales on 28 October, broken down by nationality; and how many are held in each prison.

Paul Goggins: The most recent information available is for 30 September 2004, and is provided in the tables.
	
		Population in prison, by nationality(53)—England and Wales, 30 September 2004
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 All nationalities 74,646 
			 UK nationals 64,452 
			 Foreign nationals 9,010 
			 Not recorded 1,184 
			   
			 Total Africa 2,049 
			 Algeria 153 
			 Angola 71 
			 Benin 3 
			 Botswana 2 
			 Burundi 7 
			 Cameroon, United Republic 14 
			 Central African Republic 11 
			 Chad 3 
			 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 51 
			 Congo, Republic of the 86 
			 Cote D Ivoire (Ivory Coast) 24 
			 Egypt 23 
			 Equatorial Guinea 1 
			 Ethiopia 30 
			 French Guiana 2 
			 Gabon 1 
			 Gambia 36 
			 Ghana 159 
			 Guinea 13 
			 Guinea-Bissau 1 
			 Kenya 54 
			 Liberia 33 
			 Libya 21 
			 Madagascar 1 
			   
			 Total Europe 2,564 
			 Albania 82 
			 Andorra 2 
			 Armenia 4 
			 Austria 8 
			 Azerbijan 1 
			 Belgium 44 
			 Bosnia-Herzegovina 3 
			 Bulgaria 6 
			 Croatia 6 
			 Cyprus 60 
			 Czech Republic 14 
			 Denmark 8 
			 Estonia 2 
			 Finland 3 
			 France 130 
			 Georgia 8 
			 Germany 115 
			 Gibraltar 3 
			 Greece 23 
			 Hungary 21 
			 Irish Republic 708 
			 Italy 135 
			 Kyrgyzstan 1 
			 Latvia 20 
			 Malawi 14 
			 Mali 1 
			 Mauritania 1 
			 Mauritius 10 
			 Morocco 39 
			 Mozambique 1 
			 Niger 1 
			 Nigeria 504 
			 Rwanda 12 
			 Sao Tome and Principe 1 
			 Senegal 5 
			 Seychelles 2 
			 Sierra Leone 57 
			 Somalia 230 
			 South Africa 132 
			 Sudan 21 
			 Swaziland 2 
			 Tanzania 12 
			 Togo 11 
			 Tunisia 13 
			 Uganda 63 
			 Zambia 21 
			 Zimbabwe 96 
			   
			 Total Asia 1,144 
			 Bangladesh 137 
			 Bhutan 1 
			 Burma 2 
			 China 152 
			 Hong Kong 11 
			 India 218 
			 Indonesia 3 
			 Japan 1 
			 Korea, Republic of (South) 6 
			 Malaysia 19 
			 Maldives 1 
			 Mongolia 3 
			 Lithuania 72 
			 Macedonia 9 
			 Malta 8 
			 Moldova 33 
			 Netherlands 167 
			 Norway 2 
			 Poland 52 
			 Portugal 151 
			 Romania 135 
			 Russia 85 
			 Serbia and Montenegro 96 
			 Slovakia 4 
			 Slovenia 2 
			 Spain 89 
			 Sweden 13 
			 Switzerland 7 
			 Turkey 233 
			   
			 Total Middle East 465 
			 Afghanistan 67 
			 Bahrain 2 
			 Iran 108 
			 Iraq 196 
			 Israel 16 
			 Jordan 6 
			 Kuwait 8 
			 Lebanon 16 
			 Republic of Yemen 11 
			 Saudi Arabia 11 
			 Syrian Arab Republic 18 
			 United Arab Emirates 5 
			   
			 Total North America 125 
			 Canada 33 
			 United States of America 92 
			   
			 Total Oceania 34 
			 Australia 18 
			 Fiji 4 
			 Nepal 5 
			 Pakistan 388 
			 Philippines 12 
			 Singapore 3 
			 Sri Lanka 130 
			 Surinam 7 
			 Thailand 5 
			 Vietnam 39 
			   
			 Total Central or South America 289 
			 Argentina 7 
			 Belize 5 
			 Bolivia 6 
			 Brazil 41 
			 Chile 12 
			 Columbia 124 
			 Costa Rica 4 
			 Ecuador 9 
			 Guatemala 1 
			 Honduras 1 
			 Mexico 8 
			 Nicaragua 3 
			 Panama 3 
			 Paraguay 1 
			 Peru 5 
			 Venezuela 60 
			 French Southern Territories 1 
			 Kiribati 1 
			 New Zealand 7 
			 Papua New Guinea 1 
			 Samoa 1 
			 Solomon Islands 1 
			 Total other 7 
			 Total West Indies 2,334 
			 Anguilla 2 
			 Aruba 2 
			 Bahamas 5 
			 Barbados 32 
			 Bermuda 2 
			 Cuba 1 
			 Dominica 6 
			 Dominican Republic 7 
			 Grenada 19 
			 Guyana 25 
			 Haiti 1 
			 Jamaica 2,039 
			 Montserrat 9 
			 Netherlands Antilles 22 
			 St. Kitts and Nevis 6 
			 St. Lucia 18 
			 St. Vincent and the Grenadines 7 
			 Trinidad and Tobago 131 
			 Virgin Islands 1 
		
	
	(53) Figures include persons held in immigration removal centres at Dover, Haslar and Lindholme

Probation Boards

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to change the statutory requirements for probation boards in England and Wales in relation to (a) appointing a treasurer and (b) the Audit Commission's external audit of accounts.

Paul Goggins: We have no plan to change the statutory requirements for the Probation Boards in England and Wales in relation to the appointment of treasurers. The audit of probation Boards and the role of the Audit Commission is being discussed as we work to ensure that the audit arrangements are as efficient and effective as possible.

Probation Service

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on future funding of the Probation Service.

Paul Goggins: Future funding of the Probation Service remains subject to the normal spending review and the Home Office departmental planning round processes.

Probation Service

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce regional pay scales for the probation service; and whether he intends to consult the relevant trade unions on the issue.

Paul Goggins: I have no plans at present to introduce regional pay scales in the national probation service (NPS). Region pay may be one of the issues covered in the ongoing discussions between the Employers' and Side of the NPS National Negotiating Committee (NNC) the trade unions in relation to new pay and grading arrangements.
	We already pay allowances to staff working in high cost areas such as central London and the south east of England.

Probation Service

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the 2004 pay offer to probation service staff includes (a) pay progression and (b) increments; and whether (i) pay progression and (ii) increments have been included in previous annual pay settlements.

Paul Goggins: At a meeting of the National Negotiating Council (NNC) for the national probation service on 5 October 2004 the employers made a formal offer of a 2.7 per cent. revalorisation of salaries to all staff covered by NNC terms and conditions of service. Separately, on 1 April 2004, incremental progression of up to 3 per cent. was paid to the majority of staff in the service.
	The total cost, including the incremental progression element, is 4.2 per cent. which, if accepted by the trade union side, would be one of the highest public sector pay awards this year.
	This two-stage approach follows the same pattern as in previous years.

Public Service Agreement 3

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he will introduce to fulfil Public Service Agreement 3 which aims to increase the number of crimes for which an offender is brought to justice by 1.25 million by 2007–08.

Paul Goggins: The Public Service Agreement (PSA) target is to bring 1.25 million offences to justice in the year to April 2008. A range of actions is being taken to improve the performance of the criminal justice agencies in order to meet this target, in particular by:
	improving the rate of police detection of crime;
	making the charging process more effective;
	reducing the proportion of ineffective trials;
	giving better support to witnesses.
	We aim to increase the sanction detection rate from 19 per cent. to at least 25 per cent. by 2008. All police forces have been made aware of the detection rate improvement required by their Local Criminal Justice Board's current target for offences brought to justice.
	The initiative to put Crown Prosecutors into police stations in order to provide early advice and guidance to the police on charging is being extended. By September, the charging initiative was operating in 361 of 373 sites, and the more extensive Statutory Charging Scheme arrangements were operating in 118 of those 361 sites. The new charging arrangements are already delivering considerable benefits, with prosecutors working closely with police to build robust cases for prosecution and helping to narrow the justice gap.
	The Effective Trial Management Programme (ETMP) case management changes have already had a demonstrable impact on reducing ineffective trial rates in the Crown court and magistrates courts. We aim to reduce ineffective trials from 24 per cent. to 17per cent. in the Crown courts, and from 31 per cent. to 23 per cent. in the magistrates courts by March 2006. Latest performance information shows that we are on course to meet these targets.
	Early indications are that the five pilot sites for the 'No Witness No Justice' programme (Gwent, North Wales, Essex, South Yorkshire and the West Midlands) are continuing to show improvements in the number of witnesses attending court.
	Finally, a Performance Action Team has been set up, comprising central Performance Advisors, local practitioners, consultants and central PSA delivery teams. It is providing co-ordinated assistance across the Criminal Justice System targets to areas in need of support.

Rape Support Centres

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centres have closed in (a) each of the last three years and (b) this year.

Paul Goggins: The Home Office does not collect this information. We are aware of reports that some centres have had to close or reduce service availability due to financial constraints. We are making available £4 million of additional funding over two years to support and develop a range of services for victims of sexual crime, including those provided by rape and sexual assault crisis/support centres.

Rape Support Centres

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his plans are for setting up the National Rape Crisis Helpline.

Paul Goggins: We have considered the findings and recommendations of an independent scoping study which looked at options for establishing a helpline service and involved key stakeholder groups. We have recently approved proposals for the helpline structure, service scope, and recommended core client groups. We are looking further at what information services may be required to support the helpline and will be developing a procurement strategy to enable us to select an appropriate service provider. While preparatory work on the helpline continues, our immediate priority is to support the development of a range of good quality, sustainable local services which will support the helpline and are critical to its success.

Rape Support Centres

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to ensure that abuse survivor groups and sexual abuse support centres are in place to provide counselling to clients referred to them by the National Rape Crisis Helpline.

Paul Goggins: We are providing an additional £4 million over two years to support the development of services for victims of sexual crime. Many of the services will support the helpline when it is opened. Some of the extra funding is being used to extend the network of Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) and some will be made available to develop a range of sustainable local services—often provided by voluntary and community sector organisations. We will be publishing further information and inviting applications shortly.

Rape Support Centres

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with colleagues in the Department of Health on the problems and needs of survivors of rape and sexual abuse.

Paul Goggins: We have established good links between the two Departments on these issues. A joint working group of Home Office and Department of Health officials has been set up to oversee the strengthening and extension of the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARCs) network in England and Wales. The development of SARCs has been discussed by the Interdepartmental Ministerial Group on Sexual Offending, which is chaired by the Home Office and includes a representative from the Department of Health. Officials are also working closely with Department of Health colleagues on plans to map and further develop non-statutory community-based services and to produce service guidelines in this area.

Rape Support Centres

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the planned National Rape Crisis Helpline will be available to adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

Paul Goggins: Yes. Although we have used the working title of a National Rape Helpline, evidence from the scoping study suggests very strongly that the helpline will need to cater for a wider group of core service users, including adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

Rape Support Centres

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what investigations he has made into possible links between adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse and the victims of rape.

Paul Goggins: The Home Office has not commissioned any work in this area.

Rapiscan Secure Apparatus

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what air kerma rate has been used to assess radiation doses associated with the use of the Rapiscan Secure 1000 apparatus.

David Blunkett: The information sought is not in the public domain.

Reoffending

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what targets have been set for reducing reoffending.

Paul Goggins: The Home Office targets are as follows.
	To reduce the rate of reconvictions by 5 per cent. for adult and young offenders by 2003–04 compared to a 1997 baseline (Home Office Public Service Agreement, 'Spending Review 2000: Public Service Agreements 2001–2004', published in July 2000 (CM4808)).
	To reduce re-offending by 5 per cent. for young offenders and for adults sentenced to imprisonment or sentenced to community sentences by 2005–06 compared to a 2000 baseline (Home Office Public Service Agreement, published in the White Paper '2002 Spending Review, Public Service Agreements 2003–2006' in July 2002 (CM 5571)).
	The Home Office Strategic Plan for 2004–2008: Confident Communities in a Secure Britain, published in July 2004 (CM 6287), gives a commitment that re-offending rates will have fallen by 5 per cent. by 2007–08 working towards 10 per cent. by the end of the decade against a baseline of 2002–03.

Repeat Offenders

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his latest estimate is of the proportion of overall crime committed by the core group of repeat offenders; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: Analysis based on data from the Offenders Index suggests that 10 per cent. of active offenders accumulate at least 50 per cent. of standard list offences. This figure was published in "Criminal Justice: The Way Ahead" (2001).

Secure Training Centres

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions young people have been admitted to hospital from secure training centres in each of the last three years.

Paul Goggins: The figures supplied by secure training centre operators are as follows:
	
		
			  Admissions to hospital for any reason 
			 Secure training centre 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Medway 2 2 2 
			 Rainsbrook 2 4 3 
			 Hassockfield 0 0 1 
			 Oakhill n/a n/a n/a

Sentencing Guidelines Council

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the Department's target is for the timescale from issue of draft guidelines by the Sentencing Guidelines Council to issue of the final guidelines to be taken into consideration by the courts.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 4 November 2004
	Once the Sentencing Guidelines Council issues a final guideline the courts must then have regard to it when sentencing offenders. Where the guideline deals with new legislation it will become applicable on commencement of the relevant provisions.

Sentencing Guidelines Council

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what factors will be taken into consideration during scrutiny of (a) draft guidelines issued by the Sentencing Guidelines Council in September 2004 and (b) future draft guidelines.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 4 November 2004
	In considering draft guidelines issued by the Sentencing Guidelines Council we will have regard to our stated goal of reducing reoffending and our policy that custody should be used for the most serious, dangerous and seriously persistent offenders. Most other offenders will normally be punished more effectively in the community.

Sentencing Guidelines Council

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what process of parliamentary scrutiny will occur prior to the issue of final guidelines by the Sentencing Guidelines Council.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 4 November 2004
	Parliamentary scrutiny of the draft guidelines issued by the Sentencing Guidelines Council is undertaken by the Home Affairs Select Committee.

Sentencing Policy

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures (a) are in place and (b) will be introduced to encourage sentencers to make more use of fines.

Paul Goggins: The Government are committed to reinvigorating the fine to ensure it is a credible and effective penalty.
	DCA is leading a major initiative to improve fine enforcement. This includes new enforcement powers in the Courts Act 2003, currently being piloted in six areas. Fine payments rates are already improving as a result of this effort. Performance in the first quarter of 2004 was 81 per cent. of monies due collected, up from 76 per cent. in the last quarter of 2003–04 and a significant improvement on the 69 per cent. baseline.
	The Government have also accepted the proposal made in the Carter Report, "Managing Offenders, Reducing Crime", that there should be a day fine scheme. Such a scheme would link fines more closely to an offender's ability to pay so that fines should bear more equally on offenders of differing means. We are currently developing proposals, which will require primary legislation.

Sentencing Policy

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the conditional cautioning pilots.

Hazel Blears: The Conditional Caution is a statutory disposal for offenders aged 18 and over and can be given only on the authority of the relevant prosecutor. The scheme was introduced by the Criminal Justice Act, 2003, and the relevant provisions commenced on 3 July 2004. The use of Conditional Cautions is governed by a Code of Practice (SI 2004/1683).
	Although the provisions of the Act have been commenced for England and Wales, use of the Conditional Caution is limited to the areas specified in the schedule to the Director of Public Prosecution's Guidance on the Administration of Conditional Cautions. This guidance will be issued shortly under section 37A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, 1984. Custody Officers must comply with this guidance when deciding how to deal with an individual.
	Implementation of the new provision will be phased and initially limited to the following areas:
	Thames Valley;
	Northumbria;
	South Yorkshire;
	Lancashire;
	West Mercia; and
	Avon and Somerset
	It is also anticipated that Conditional Cautions will be used in the Community Justice Centre in North Liverpool.
	A significant amount of planning has already taken place in these areas and we expect the first schemes to be launched in November and December of this year. The use of Conditional Cautioning in these areas will be subject to a full evaluation, and all the documentation relating to Conditional Cautions will be reviewed prior to commencing national roll-out of the scheme, later in 2005.

Sex Abuse Cases/Investigations

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the changes to the operation instructions on disclosure in sex abuse cases.

Paul Goggins: As part of the implementation of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, the Government are currently consulting on two codes of practice which are required to implement Part 5 of the Act on Disclosure. Full details of this consultation exercise may be found on the Home Office website at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs3/cja_consultation.html. Changes to other operational guidance, the Attorney General's Guidelines on Disclosure and the CPS/ACPO Joint Operational Instructions on disclosure, will be made as appropriate to reflect the provisions of the 2003 Act. None of this guidance relates specifically to sex abuse cases.

Sex Abuse Cases/Investigations

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines are in place to regulate trawling by the police in historical sex abuse investigations.

Paul Goggins: Guidance for police on appropriate techniques for investigating allegations of historical child abuse such as dip sampling is contained in "The Investigation of Historical/Institutional Child Abuse—Senior Investigating Officer's Handbook" produced by the Association of Chief Police Officers. This is currently being reviewed to ensure the guidance is kept up to date and includes lessons to be learnt from more recent cases.

Sex Offender Escape (HMP Prescoed)

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the incident on 6 October when a convicted sex offender absconded from open conditions at HMP Prescoed near Usk; what assessment of risk was made of the prisoner (a) when he was transferred to HMP Prescoed and (b) after he absconded from HMP Prescoed; and what advice was given to local schools following the incident.

Paul Goggins: It is not the Government's policy to comment on individual prisoners. I can confirm that a prisoner did abscond from Prescoed prison 6 October. He was apprehended the following evening a short distance from the prison. Prior to his transfer from Usk prison to Prescoed he was assessed by a multi-agency public protection panel as presenting a low risk of re-offending. That assessment remained valid after his abscond and there is no evidence that he offended while at large. The police revised their assessment once he was at large and said, as is usual, that he should not be approached. The local education authority decided to advise schools to ensure that children were escorted to and from schools in the area. All the relevant agencies are in discussions to ensure that, should a further abscond of a sex offender take place, the local community receives appropriate advice.

Sex Offenders

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is his policy to apply for full planning permission from local authorities in relation to the location of new sex offender treatment centres; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The provision of any new residential sex offender treatment centres will comply with planning law. It is anticipated that applications will be submitted to the appropriate local authority before any final decision is taken.

Sex Offenders

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment has been made of the reasons why convicted sex offenders choose not to participate in the Sex Offender Treatment Programme.

Paul Goggins: To inform policy and practice research has been undertaken into the reasons why offenders choose not to participate in the Sex Offender Treatment Programme in prison. Reasons for non-participation are complex but by far the most common reason is denial of guilt. Other reasons include a fear of disclosing the offence to other prisoners, the reaction of the family, concerns about what the treatment programme entails, the relationship with staff, and the prison environment. The Prison Service is implementing a strategy to address the issues identified by the research, with the aim of reducing significantly the numbers refusing treatment.

Sex Offenders

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice was sought from the Children's Commissioner for Wales about the decision to transfer sex offenders to open conditions at HMP Prescoed; and if he will request an assessment of the risk to children from the Children's Commissioner.

Paul Goggins: All Sex Offenders who are transferred to HMP Prescoed are subject to a thorough risk assessment and have been judged suitable for open conditions by the Parole Board. The Children's Commissioner for Wales has been invited to visit HMP Prescoed. Should he take up that offer I would be happy to receive and consider his comments on the risk assessment process.

Sex Offenders

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the legal definition is of a sex offender.

Paul Goggins: The term 'sex offender' is used in a variety of contexts—legal and otherwise—and there is not one legal definition.
	Part 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 sets out 'relevant offenders' for the purposes of the notification requirements (section 80). The notification requirements are often known as the 'sex offenders register' but the term does not appear in the legislation.
	'Relevant offenders' for the purposes of the notification requirements are:
	offenders who have received a conviction, caution or finding for one of the offences listed in Schedule 3 to the Act,
	offenders who have received a conviction, caution or finding overseas for an offence equivalent to those listed in Schedule 3 to the Act and who have been made subject to a notification order,
	offenders who have received a conviction, caution or finding for one the offences listed in Schedule 3 or Schedule 5 to the Act and have been made subject to a sexual offences prevention order,
	offenders who have received a conviction, caution or finding for breach of a risk of sexual harm order.
	Section 327 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 sets out the 'relevant sexual or violent offenders' to whom the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements in section 325 apply. These include all of the 'registered sex offenders' and also all offenders who have received a conviction or finding for an offence listed in Schedule 15 to the Act and received a disposal to a certain threshold.

Sex Offenders

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the terms of reference are for the interdepartmental ministerial group on sex offending.

Paul Goggins: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced his intention to establish the Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group on Sexual Offending in July 2003. The Group has been set up to ensure that the implementation of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 is incorporated into wider work in tackling sexual offending. The Group's terms of reference are:
	To co-ordinate and promote action to reduce sex offending and improve services for victims of it.
	To send out clear messages about this to the general public and key target groups.
	To identify deliverable outcomes and monitor progress in achieving them.
	To co-ordinate financial resources so that these can have the maximum impact.

Sex Offenders

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recommendations have been made by the interdepartmental ministerial group on sex offending as a result of their monitoring of the Press Complaints Commission regulations.

Paul Goggins: The Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group on Sexual Offending has not made any recommendations relating to the Press Complaints Commission regulations. The Group has considered preliminary arrangements for monitoring the impact of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and decided to assess the situation after a full year of operation, that is after May 2005. Among the matters it will be considering at that point will be the impact of the Press Complaints Commission regulations.

Sexual Offences

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of sex offence cases brought to court resulted in a conviction in each of the last five years.

Paul Goggins: The available information, relating to defendants proceeded against and found guilty at all courts for sexual offences, England and Wales 1998 to 2002 is shown in the table. The conviction rate for all five years has also been provided.
	
		Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts and found guilty at all courts for sexual offences, England and Wales 1998 to 2002 1
		
			  Proceeded against Found guilty Conviction rate(55) 
		
		
			 1998 7,763 4,567 59 
			 1999 7,817 4,304 55 
			 2000 7,263 3,943 54 
			 2001 8,424 4,043 48 
			 2002 9,102 4,384 48 
		
	
	(54) These data are on the principal offence basis.
	(55) The proportion of defendants proceeded against who were found guilty.
	Statistics on court proceedings for 2003 will be published on the 18 November.

Sexual Offences

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether an assessment has been made of how suggestive interviewing, or the use of the recovered memories can lead to false allegations of sex offences against individuals.

Paul Goggins: The Home Office has not made a formal assessment of, or conducted research into whether suggestive interviewing or the use of recovered memories can lead to false allegations of sexual offences.
	The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) National Investigative Interviewing Strategic Steering Group has developed and delivered a dynamic interview strategy which includes a Practical Guide to Investigative Interviewing 2004. Amongst other things, this highlights the dangers of suggestive interviewing. The Investigative Interviewing Strategy underpins training on effective interviewing for police of all levels, including specialist interviewers who are employed in cases involving traumatised victims or witnesses.
	Complementary guidance on interviewing vulnerable or intimidated witnesses, which includes victims of sexual offences, is contained in "Achieving Best Evidence in Criminal Proceedings: Guidance for Vulnerable or Intimidated Witnesses, including Children" issued in January 2002. This guidance became operational in May 2002 when it superseded "Memorandum of Good Practice on Video Recorded Interviews with Child Witnesses for Criminal Proceedings". Achieving Best Evidence contains comprehensive guidance on planning and conducting interviews with vulnerable or intimidated witnesses and includes sections on style, content and types of questions.
	This guidance document was produced as a result of a wider assessment by an interdepartmental working group of the treatment of vulnerable or intimidated witnesses, including the victims of sexual offences, in the criminal justice system. The working group's findings and recommendations were published in the Speaking Up For Justice report (Home Office, 1998).

Sexual Offences

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines have been issued on best practice in interviewing techniques for sex offence victims; what checks are in place to ensure that these techniques are used; and what estimate has been made of the percentage of interviews which deviate from this standard.

Paul Goggins: Guidance on interviewing vulnerable or intimidated witnesses, which includes victims of sexual offences, is contained in "Achieving Best Evidence in Criminal Proceedings: Guidance for Vulnerable or Intimidated Witnesses, including Children" issued in January 2002. This guidance became operational in May 2002 when it superseded "Memorandum of Good Practice on Video Recorded Interviews with Child Witnesses for Criminal Proceedings".
	While this guidance is advisory and does not constitute a legally enforceable code of conduct, it warns that significant departures from the guidance may have to be justified in the courts.
	It is a responsibility of statutory agencies involved in the interviewing of witnesses in criminal proceedings to ensure that appropriate techniques are used.
	Information about the percentage of interviews which deviate from standard is not held centrally and this information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Sexual Offences

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to encourage sex offence victims to (a) report their abuse and (b) act as a witness in court.

Paul Goggins: The Government have implemented a range of measures with a view to encouraging sex offence victims to report abuse and to act as a witness in court.
	In 2002, the Government published their Rape Action Plan including steps to improve the investigation and prosecution of rape cases and the treatment of victims and witnesses. The intention is that these measures will help to bring more cases to justice, increase public confidence and consequently encourage victims to report their abuse. Key elements of the RAP include:
	specialist training of Sexual Offence Liaison Officers and Rape Victim Chaperones.
	Specialist rape prosecutors, and rape co-ordinators in each of the 42 CPS areas.
	Guidance on special measures such as allowing victims to give their evidence from behind a screen, or on video, helping to sustain cases which would otherwise stand no chance of getting to court, and encourage victims to act as witnesses.
	An important recommendation from the Rape Action Plan is that forces support the development of Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs)—integrated services where victims of rape and sexual assault can have their various medical, forensic, counselling and support needs met quickly and sympathetically, in one location, by properly trained staff. A recent evaluation of SARCs (Home Office Research Study 285: Lovett, J., Regan, L. and Kelly, L. (2004),) reported high levels of victim satisfaction. While victims may use the services of a SARC without reporting to the police, they are encouraged to do so, and if they do not wish to report immediately, they are still able to undergo a forensic examination in case they decide to report at a later date.
	There are now 13 SARCs across England, with more under development. Over this and the next financial year, a proportion of the £4 million set aside from the Victims Fund for services to victims of sexual offending will help to extend and strengthen the SARCs network. Work is also underway to raise awareness about SARCs. If people who have been raped are confident that they will be treated with respect and dignity, they may be more likely to report to the police.
	The remainder of the £4 million will be used to develop voluntary and community sector based services for victims of sexual offending. The services will be available regardless of whether a victim chooses to report the offence or testify in court but we hope more victims of sexual crime will have the confidence to report the offences and that more victims can be supported as their cases go through the criminal justice process.
	Vulnerable or intimidated witnesses (VIWs) are being encouraged to testify by the range of special measures available to them under the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999. Home Office Research Study 283, "Are special measures working? Evidence from surveys of vulnerable and intimidated witnesses" (Home Office, June 2004) shows that:
	Around half of witnesses who did not have the opportunity to give evidence with the aid of special measures said that they would have found special measures helpful.
	Witnesses who used special measures were significantly more confident that the criminal justice system was effective in bringing those who commit crimes to justice and effective in meeting the needs of victims.
	44 per cent. of victims of sexual offences said they would not have given evidence without special measures.
	Additional steps have been taken to ensure that victims and witnesses, more generally, are willing to give evidence in court. In 2003, the National Criminal Justice Board asked each Local Criminal Justice Board to undertake work to increase public confidence in the Criminal Justice System—one of the key issues being victim and witness satisfaction. This work continues and on Monday 18 October the Office of Criminal Justice Reform published the Victim and Witness Delivery Plan "Improving Services for Victims and Witnesses", setting out the Government's seven priorities for victims and witnesses.
	Local Criminal Justice Boards are also delivering the Criminal Case Management Programme which will ensure that charges are more appropriately brought, that trials are more effectively managed and that witnesses and victims receive proper care and information.
	Increased public confidence and better criminal case management will encourage more victims and witnesses to come forward and give evidence in court.

Sexual Offences

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what alternatives to court attendance are available for witnesses in sex offence cases.

Paul Goggins: The Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 provides a range of measures to assist vulnerable or intimidated witnesses to give their best evidence. The special measures include video-recorded evidence in chief and live links. These provisions enable a witness to give their evidence from outside the courtroom and, in some cases, the witness may not have to attend the court building at all.
	Sections 16 and 17 of the 1990 Act define the categories of witness eligible for special measures. Complainants in sexual offence proceedings are automatically eligible witnesses by virtue of section 17 unless they say that they do not want to be. All witnesses aged under 17 at the time of the hearing are automatically eligible witnesses by virtue of section 16. Other witnesses will be eligible for assistance if the court determines that the quality of their evidence would be diminished by reason of a mental disorder, or a learning disability or a physical disability or disorder (under section 16) or because of their fear and distress at testifying (section 17).
	All child witnesses in sexual offence cases are entitled to have a video recording admitted as their evidence in chief and otherwise give their evidence via a live link unless the court decides that this would be against the interests of justice. For adults the court needs to be satisfied that the provision of special measures would improve the quality of the witness' evidence.
	The introduction of special measures is being phased to enable evaluation of how they are working and to provide time for agencies to prepare for full implementation.
	Video recorded evidence in chief is available in all cases in the Crown Court to all witnesses eligible under section 16, which includes all child witnesses. It is also available to child witnesses in sexual offence cases heard in magistrates' courts. Additionally, this measure is available to witnesses eligible under section 17 in a limited number of pilot courts.
	Live links are available to all section 16 or section 17 witnesses in the Crown Court and to child witnesses in sexual offence cases in magistrates' courts. Live links are also available to adult witnesses as a pilot in West London Magistrates' Court.

Sexual Offences

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment has been made of (a) interviewing and (b) therapeutic techniques used with sex offence victims.

Paul Goggins: Guidance on interviewing vulnerable or intimidated witnesses, including victims of sexual offences, is contained in "Achieving Best Evidence in Criminal Proceedings: Guidance for Vulnerable or Intimidated Witnesses, including Children" issued in January 2002. This guidance became operational in May 2002 when it superseded "Memorandum of Good Practice on Video Recorded Interviews with Child Witnesses for Criminal Proceedings".
	Guidance on therapy is provided in "Provision of Therapy for Child Witnesses Prior to a Criminal Trial: Practice Guidance" and "Provision of Therapy for Vulnerable or Intimidated Adult Witnesses Prior to a Criminal Trial: Practice Guidance" issued in 2001 and 2002, respectively. This guidance took effect immediately.
	These guidance documents were produced as a result of a wider assessment by an interdepartmental working group into the treatment of vulnerable or intimidated witnesses, including the victims of sexual offences, in the criminal justice system. The working group's findings and recommendations were published in the Speaking Up For Justice report (Home Office, 1998).

Sexual Offences

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate has been made of the number of unreported sex offences.

Paul Goggins: The British Crime Survey (BCS) systematically collects information on rape, although due to the sensitivity of such questions in a face-to-face crime survey it is recognised that the subsequent results may provide an unreliable indicator. For this reason, they are not routinely published. However, self-completion modules on sexual victimisation put to respondents aged 16 to 59 have been included in the 1998, 2000, 2001 and currently in the 2004/05 BCS.
	The 2001 results are published in Home Office research study 276 'Domestic violence, sexual victimisation and stalking: findings from the British Crime Survey'. This report showed that in only 12 per cent. of worst incidents of female serious sexual assault suffered since the age of 16 did the police come to know about it.

Sexual Offences

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what (a) support and (b) treatment is available for prisoners who disclose information to the police about historical sex abuse against them.

Paul Goggins: Prisons assist the police in making facilities available when investigating offences. Any information about historical sex abuse disclosed in these circumstances by prisoners to the police will be treated in confidence and not shared with prison staff. However, prisoners may choose to disclose such information to staff.
	The support and treatment available for prisoners who have been sexually abused in the past varies between prison establishments, reflecting local circumstances. Prison psychologists, for example, may be able to offer one-to-one help in some cases, although the psychological and therapeutic work done with victims of sexual abuse can be a long slow process. Help may be limited to information or advice or referral to appropriate agencies in their local communities on release. Some prison programmes, such as anger management, may address the impact of abuse indirectly. Prisoners who have a history of sexual abuse are at a greater risk of suicide or self-harm and guidance to staff on managing prisoners who self-harm has been circulated to establishments.

Similar Fact Evidence

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the use of similar fact evidence.

Paul Goggins: At present, evidence of a defendant's bad character is generally inadmissible in criminal proceedings but the common law "similar fact" rule allows the prosecution to rely on a defendant's previous misconduct in certain circumstances. However the bad character provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, to be implemented in December 2004, will abolish this and other common law rules governing the admissibility of such evidence in criminal proceedings. In their place the Act adopts an inclusionary approach to a defendant's previous convictions and sets out a number of "gateways" through which evidence of a defendant's bad character may be admissible, where relevant and probative. One of these is where such evidence is "relevant to an important matter in issue between the defendant and the prosecution". The Act makes clear that such
	"matters in issue between the defendant and the prosecution"
	include the question of whether the defendant has a propensity to commit offences of the kind with which he is charged. Evidence of propensity could include similar fact evidence.

Spray Paints

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions a person has received a level four fine for selling spray paints to someone under the age of 16 years on Merseyside.

Paul Goggins: Selling spray paints to someone under the age of 16 years is an offence under section 54 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 which came into force on 31 March 2004.
	Court proceedings statistics for 2004 will be published around November 2005.

Support Services (Funding)

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the impact of the recent changes in central funding for (a) survivor organisations and (b) rape and sexual abuse support centres on their ability to continue to provide services.

Paul Goggins: We have made no formal assessment but recognise that financial stability for local service providers and survivor groups is critical to ensuring their ability to deliver services to victims. We are making available £4 million additional funding over two years as a contribution to the development of services for victims, although we do not believe that central Government should bear sole responsibility for supporting local service delivery organisations. Local ownership and support—including financial support—is vital to ensuring the future of local provision.

Victim Support

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what support he will provide to victims in North Devon following the closure of the Victim Support office in Barnstaple.

Paul Goggins: The Home Office has provided funding to Victim Support since 1979. Over the last few years this funding has nearly trebled, from £11.7 million at the start of 1997–98 to £30 million in 2004–05.
	The Home Office-Victim Support Grant-in-Aid memorandum sets out the services that Victim Support are expected to deliver to victims and witnesses. However, decisions regarding the management of these services in Devon are the responsibility of the Victim Support Devon Board of Trustees.

Victim Support

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what types of support and therapy are available to victims in sex abuse cases as their case advances through the criminal justice system.

Paul Goggins: Victim Support is the main organisation in England and Wales that provides support to victims and witnesses of crime, including victims of sexual offending. This year Victim Support have been offered £30 million grant-in-aid funding from the Home Office to enable them to provide this support.
	All Victim Support volunteers complete a core training programme. Additional training is provided for those volunteers working with victims of sexual offending.
	A number of specialist organisations exist to offer support and other services to victims of sexual offending. The Home Office has allocated an additional £4 million funding over two years to develop services for victims of sexual crime. Part of this funding will be used to support the development of local services, provided in many cases by the voluntary and community sector.

Victim Support

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there are victim advocates to support victims in sex abuse cases.

Paul Goggins: Victim Support is the main organisation in England and Wales that provides support and practical help to victims and witnesses of crime, including victims of sexual offending. This year Victim Support has been offered £30 million grant-in-aid funding from the Home Office to enable them to provide this support.
	Victim Support offers free and confidential support regardless of whether the crime has been reported to the police. Victim Support can help in dealing with other organisations and provide links to additional sources of help. If a victim attends court then Victim Support's Witness Service can provide support before, during and after a hearing.
	A number of specialist organisations exist to offer support and other services to victims of sexual offending. The Home Office has allocated an additional £4 million funding over two years to develop services for victims of sexual crime. Part of this funding will be used to support the development of local services, provided in many cases by the voluntary and community sector.

Victim Support

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of known child sex abuse victims received help from (a) sexual assault referral centres, (b) the National Association for People Abused in Childhood, (c) Family Matters, (d) Lifeline and (e) other victim support groups in each of the last seven years.

Paul Goggins: The Home Office does not routinely collect data on the percentage of known child sex abuse victims receiving help from these organisations, and has not carried out any specific research on this issue.

Witnesses (Video Recording)

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the video recording of witnesses under section 17 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 is at the discretion of the individual.

Paul Goggins: Witnesses who fall within the scope of section 17 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 are those who because of age, personal circumstances and the nature of the alleged offence may qualify for Special Measures if the court is satisfied that the quality of their evidence is likely to be diminished by reason of their fear or distress.
	In reaching a decision on whether Special Measures should be invoked, in this instance section 27—video recorded evidence in chief, the courts must take account of the wishes of the individual witness. It is imperative therefore that investigators establish at an early stage whether the section 17 witness is likely to qualify for a Special Measures Direction under the 1999 Act.
	If so this will need to be discussed with the witness to ascertain their views. It is essential that the police, social workers, the prosecution and defence and also court officials take account of the individual circumstances of each witness, together with their expressed needs and wishes, in order to provide support sufficient to enable all witnesses to give their best evidence. The guidance "Achieving Best Evidence in Criminal Proceedings" makes this clear to practitioners.
	The Implementation of Special Measures is being phased to enable evaluation of how they are working before full roll out. Video recorded evidence in chief is not currently available to witnesses who would only be eligible by virtue of section 17 of the 1999 Act. Subject to the success of pilots currently under way this will be extended to these witnesses in May 2005.

Work Permits

Clive Soley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average time taken from point of application to issue of a work permit was in 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: The average length of time taken to issue a work permit from receipt of the application at Work Permits (UK) in 2003 was four days. This includes time spent gaining further information and checking references with posts overseas, where necessary.

Young Offender Institutions

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for The Home Department what action he is taking to stop bullying and violence among inmates in young offender institutions; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: Reducing violence, in all its forms, is fundamental to the objectives of the Prison Service. By constructively and consistently taking action to prevent violence and promote fairness and decency, prisons can offer a structured environment in which to influence future behaviour, encourage positive communication and develop social skills that assist offenders with rehabilitation. Further, maintaining a safe environment reduces stress and anxiety, and promotes individual, organisational and public confidence.
	All Prison Service establishments, including young offender institutions, are required by Prison Service Order 2,750 to have (by November 2004) a strategy to reduce violence. The Prison Service's definition of violence is 'any incident in which a person is, abused, threatened, or assaulted. This includes an explicit or implicit challenge to their safety, well-being or health. The resulting harm may be physical, emotional or psychological.' Moreover all prison establishments are required to have an anti-bullying strategy in place, under the umbrella of violence reduction. The Prison Service's desired approach to perpetrators is one where:
	Personal responsibility for incidents is based on an understanding of the causes, rather than allocating blame;
	Wherever possible, a responsive rather than a reactive approach from the organisation is taken; and
	While an assailant is left in no doubt that the behaviour is unacceptable and will not be tolerated, sustained, reasoned change in behaviour rather than retribution is sought.

Young Offender Institutions

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what grounds it has been proposed to privatise Her Majesty's Young Offenders Institution at Wetherby; what consultation with the (a) governors, (b) staff and (c) Board of Visitors (i) there has been and (ii) is proposed for this proposal; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: There are no plans to privatise any public sector prisons or Young Offender Institutions.
	We are considering how to take forward market within the National Offender Management Service. No decision has yet been taken.

HEALTH

Agency Temporary Staff

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many agency temporary staff have been working for his Department in each of the last five years, excluding those working for agencies for which no data are kept centrally.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 1 November 2004
	The number of temporary staff employed through employment agencies can be provided only at disproportionate cost. The Department does not keep a central record of the number of temporary staff employed through employment agencies.

Alzheimer's

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the clinical effectiveness of anti-dementia drugs;
	(2)  when he expects the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to complete its review of drug treatments for Alzheimer's disease.

Stephen Ladyman: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued guidance on the clinical and cost effectiveness of donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease in January 2001. It is conducting a review of its guidance and expects to publish revised guidance in May 2005. Memantine (for the treatment of moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease) is currently being appraised by NICE and the Institute's recommendations on the drug's use will be included in the review of the earlier appraisal. Full details are available on the website for NICE at www.nice.org.uk

Alzheimer's

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when he last met representatives of the Alzheimer's Society; and what issues were discussed;
	(2)  what steps his Department is taking to improve the treatment and care of Alzheimer's patients; and what steps his Department is taking to support Alzheimer's patients' carers;
	(3)  what steps his Department is taking to increase public awareness of dementia; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: Ministers and officials at the Department have regular meetings with the Alzheimer's Society. I recently met with them on 10 November. They raised several issues associated with the development of a vision for adult social care.
	The national service framework (NSF) for older people, which we published in March 2001, sets out a range of national standards and service models of care across health and social services. Standard seven of the NSF aims to promote good mental health in older people, and to treat and support people of all ages with dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.
	In addition, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has appraised the use of anti-dementia drugs. NICE is also appraising the use of non-Alzheimer's dementia drugs. Finally, NICE is developing a comprehensive guideline on the management and treatment of older people with dementia, which will build on the medication appraisals. This will be available early in 2007.
	It is essential that awareness of the needs of people with Alzheimer's disease, and of their carers is raised to help ensure that those needs are met. Through grants to the Alzheimer's Society, the Department has funded a range of projects to increase awareness and understanding of Alzheimer's disease. In 2004–05 the Society received £32,000 to support a project to promote awareness of vascular dementia.

Barnet and Chase Farm NHS Trust

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effects on (a) costs and (b) services of the merger of Barnet and Chase Farm hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The creation of a single trust in 1999 will have led to savings in management costs from the merger of the two organisations for reinvestment in patient services. Service developments and changes since the merger will have been the result of normal National Health Service management action, including the involvement of patients and the public.

Barnet Hospital

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients from Barnet had NHS operations and other treatment (a) overseas and (b) outside London in each of the last two years; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The number of patients from Barnet and Chase Farm Hospital National Health Service Trust waiting for treatment who went on to receive treatment overseas under the London patient choice project is:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2004–05 13 
			 2003–04 49 
		
	
	The information requested on the number of patients from Barnet who had NHS treatment outside London is shown in the table.
	
		Primary care trust (PCT) of residence: 5A9 Barnet PCT count of finished admission episodes in strategic health authorities outside London—NHS hospitals, England 2001–02 and 2002–03
		
			  Finished admission episodes 
		
		
			 2001–02 1,325 
			 2002–03 1,210

Barnet Hospital

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for accident and emergency treatment for Barnet patients was (a) at 1 May 1997 and (b) at the latest date for which figures are available; how many people were waiting for (i) elective orthopaedic treatment, (ii) elective cataract treatment and (iii) elective heart surgery at each date; what the (A) longest and (B) average waiting times were in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The information requested is shown in the tables.
	
		Barnet and Chase Farm National Health Service Trust
		
			  Quarter 2 2002–03 Quarter 2 2004–05 
		
		
			 Number of attendances 30,305 34,022 
			 Attendances waiting over four hours 11,457 3,491 
			 Percentage waiting under four hours 62.20 89.70 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health form QMAE.
	
		Patients waiting for elective in-patient admission: position at month-end
		
			  Month-end/NHS trust  Specialty Total number of patients waiting Median waiting time in weeks  Longest waiting time 
		
		
			 March 1997 
			 Wellhouse NHS Trust Trauma and orthopaedic 1,123 19.4 No patient waited longer than 21 months 
			 Wellhouse NHS Trust Ophthalmology 755 20.0 No patient waited longer than 15 months 
			 Wellhouse NHS Trust Cardiothoracic surgery 2 9.8 No patient waited longer than 3 months 
			 Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust Trauma and orthopaedic 1,351 24.3 No patient waited longer than 18 months 
			  
			 September 2004 
			 Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust Trauma and orthopaedic 2,151 15.9 No patient waited longer than 9 months 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health form KH07.

Bed Occupancy Rates

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the trusts operating with bed occupancy levels higher than the Department of Health's target of 82 per cent.

John Hutton: The Department does not have a target for bed occupancy. National health service organisation data including bed occupancy rates for 2000–01 to 2003–04, are available on the Department's website at www.performance.doh.gov.uk/hospitalactivity/index.htm.

Birmingham Heartlands Hospital

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ask the management of Birmingham Heartlands Hospital to carry out an urgent investigation into levels of cleanliness and hygiene and to publish its findings.

Melanie Johnson: There were 106 reported methycillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) blood stream infections at the Birmingham Heartlands and Solihull National Health Service Trust (Teaching) during 2003–04. This equates to 0.26 incidences per 1,000 bed days 1 .
	We are committed to reducing healthcare associated infections and we have set a new national target of year-on-year reductions in MRSA infection rates.
	Birmingham and The Black Country Strategic Health Authority (SHA) is currently reviewing implementation in its area of the guidance contained in "Winning ways: working together to reduce healthcare associated infection in England", which was issued by the Chief Medical Officer in December 2003.
	The SHA reports that the trust has a robust infection control plan, in line with the guidance, and has passed external inspections by the patient environment action team. The trust is also conducting its own inquiry, involving an independent investigator, into cleanliness and hygiene at the trust.
	The findings of this inquiry will be made available once it is completed.
	1 Source:
	Department of Health Mandatory Bacteraemia Surveillance Scheme.

Bullying

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the financial cost resulting from bullying in the NHS in the last year for which figures are available.

John Hutton: This information is not collected and held centrally, although it may be available from individual national health service employing organisations. The Government has made it clear that no form of bullying or harassment will be tolerated in the NHS. NHS employers are expected to take proactive action to prevent such behaviour and to take effective action to tackle it when it occurs.

Cancer

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what actions his Department has taken to improve the early diagnosis of cancer since the publication by the National Audit Office of its report,"Tackling cancer in England: saving more lives", HC 364, Session 2003–04.

Melanie Johnson: The cancer policy team within the Department is currently developing a programme of work to raise public awareness of symptoms which might result in the diagnosis of cancer and to encourage people with those symptoms to seek medical advice as early as possible.
	This work is being undertaken in conjunction with a variety of key stakeholders, including clinicians, researchers, charities and patient representatives.

Cancer

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations for cancer were carried out in hospitals covering the constituency of Bolsover in (a) 1997, (b) 2000 and (c) 2003.

Stephen Ladyman: Information relating to those national health service trusts most likely to treat patients from the Bolsover constituency is shown in the table.
	
		All cancer (neoplasms) operations—count of finished consultant episodes (FCEs)
		
			 Trust 1997–98 2000–01 2002–03 
		
		
			 Nottingham City Hospital NHS Trust 15,023 17,134 15,322 
			 Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust 7,583 7,928 7,823 
			 Chesterfield & North Derbyshire Royal Hospital NHS Trust 3,303 4,430 4,672 
			 The Kings Mill Centre for Healthcare NHS Trust 5,653 5,688 5,820 
			 Southern Derbyshire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust Not available 11,986 12,208 
		
	
	Notes:
	Finished consultant episode (FCE)—A FCE is defined as a period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that the figures do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the year.
	All operations count of episodes—These figures represent a count of all FCE's where the procedure was mentioned in any of the 12 (four prior to 2002–03) operation fields in a HES record. A record is only included once in each count, even if an operation is mentioned in more than one operation field of the record.
	Diagnosis (primary diagnosis)—The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (seven prior to 2002–03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.
	Ungrossed data—Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).
	Source:
	Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health.

Cardiac Rehabilitation

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what circumstances the provision of cardiac rehabilitation is a mandatory requirement for NHS trusts; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: Provision for cardiac rehabilitation is addressed in standard 12 of the national service framework (NSF) for coronary heart disease. Standards are quality requirements which describe the care that clinicians and others will use to guide their practice. Standard 12 states:
	"NHS Trusts should put in place agreed protocols/systems of care so that, prior to leaving hospital, people admitted to hospital suffering from coronary heart disease have been invited to participate in a multidisciplinary programme of secondary prevention and cardiac rehabilitation. The aim of the programme will be to reduce their risk of subsequent cardiac problems and to promote their return to a full and normal life."
	Service models for the delivery of this standard are set out in the NSF.

Care Homes

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in (a) the Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) Tyne and Wear and (d) England have been in (i) voluntary sector, (ii) local authority and (iii) private sector care homes in each year since 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: Information about the number of places in care homes is collected but information about the number of people in those places is not centrally available.
	The number of care home places in Gateshead and South Tyneside, Newcastle and North Tyneside, Northumberland, and England at 31 March for the years 1997 to 2001 is shown in the table.
	I understand from the chair of the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) that figures for later years were collected by the National Care Standards Commission and now CSCI, but that comparable details are not available.
	
		Number of care home places in Gateshead and South Tyneside, Newcastle and North Tyneside, Northumberland and England, 1997–2001 1 -- Rounded numbers
		
			  Residential Nursing(57)  
			  Local authority Private Voluntary Independent Total 
		
		
			 England  
			 1997 65,820 213,140 59,170 196,270 534,410 
			 1998 63,980 223,130 60,790 205,590 553,490 
			 1999 59,030 226,290 58,720 202,150 546,190 
			 2000 55,460 229,720 60,720 193,330 539,240 
			 2001 50,860 228,340 61,970 186,830 528,000 
			 Gateshead and South Tyneside 
			 1997 890 1,490 310 1,460 4,150 
			 1998 860 1,560 310 1,720 4,460 
			 1999 830 1,590 300 1,500 4,220 
			 2000 770 1,630 330 1,480 4,210 
			 2001 760 1,670 300 1,360 4,090 
			 Newcastle and North Tyneside 
			 1997 630 2,150 540 1,750 5,070 
			 1998 540 2,810 470 1,810 5,610 
			 1999 460 2,570 450 1,740 5,220 
			 2000 520 2,970 510 1,630 5,630 
			 2001 470 2,490 570 1,700 5,220 
			 Northumberland 
			 1997 620 1,680 340 830 3,470 
			 1998 500 1,790 400 1,030 3,720 
			 1999 520 1,900 380 990 3,790 
			 2000 530 1,970 380 980 3,870 
			 2001 480 1,990 390 990 3,840 
		
	
	(56) Nursing relates to Gateshead and South Tyneside health authority, Newcastle and North Tyneside HA, and Northumberland HA; Residential care relates to Gateshead Council with Social Services Responsibilities (CSSR), South Tyneside CSSR, Newcastle CSSR, North Tyneside CSSR and Northumberland CSSR.
	(57) Nursing home figures include places in general nursing homes, mental nursing homes and private hospitals and clinics.
	Source:
	RA and RH(N) form A.

Care Homes

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many new care homes have been built by local authorities in (a) the Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) Tyne and Wear and (d) England in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many new care homes are being built in the private sector in (a) the Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) Tyne and Wear and (d) England in each year since 1997;
	(3)  how many new care homes have been built in the voluntary sector in (a) the Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) Tyne and Wear and (d) England in each year since 1997;
	(4)  how many care homes have closed in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) Tyne and Wear and (d) England in each year since 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: Information about the total number of care homes is collected, but information about the number of care homes opening and closing is not centrally available.
	Data are not available for the areas requested. The table shows the number of care homes for the nearest equivalent areas at 31 March for the years 1997 to 2001.
	I understand from the chair of the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) that figures for later years were collected by the National Care Standards Commission and now CSCI, but that comparable details are not available.
	
		The number of care homes in Gateshead and South Tyneside, Newcastle and North Tyneside, Northumberland, and England, 1997–2001 1 -- Rounded numbers
		
			  Residential Homes Nursing Homes(59)  
			  Local authority Private Voluntary Independent Total 
		
		
			 England  
			 1997 2,260 16,830 3,850 5,920 28,850 
			 1998 2,230 16,610 3,930 6,180 28,950 
			 1999 2,070 16,640 3,860 6,110 28,680 
			 2000 2,030 16,460 3,950 5,880 28,320 
			 2001 1,870 15,980 3,940 5,680 27,480 
			 Gateshead and South Tyneside 
			 1997 30 60 50 40 170 
			 1998 40 90 30 40 190 
			 1999 40 100 20 40 190 
			 2000 30 90 30 30 180 
			 2001 30 100 30 30 190 
			 Newcastle and North Tyneside 
			 1997 30 130 30 60 240 
			 1998 20 130 30 50 240 
			 1999 20 140 40 60 250 
			 2000 20 160 40 60 280 
			 2001 20 120 40 60 250 
			 Northumberland 
			 1997 20 100 30 20 170 
			 1998 20 100 20 30 170 
			 1999 20 110 30 30 180 
			 2000 20 110 30 30 180 
			 2001 10 100 30 30 170 
		
	
	(58) Nursing relates to Gateshead and South Tyneside Health Authority, Newcastle and North Tyneside HA, and Northumberland HA; Residential care relates to Gateshead Council with Social Services Responsibilities (CSSR), South Tyneside CSSR, Newcastle CSSR, North Tyneside CSSR, and Northumberland CSSR.
	(59) Nursing home figures include places in general nursing homes, mental nursing homes and private hospitals and clinics.
	Source:
	RA and RH(N) form A.

Care Records

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what provision there will be for the care record system to be shared with private sector providers undertaking NHS work;
	(2)  what safeguards will be put in place by the national programme for IT to ensure information cannot be shared with organisations outside the NHS.

John Hutton: The NHS Care Records Service (NHS CRS) will incorporate stringent security controls and safeguards to prevent unrestricted or uncontrolled access to personal information. Access will only be available to authorised national health service healthcare professionals who must be registered and authenticated users of the NHS CRS. They must have a legitimate relationship with the patient, that is they must be directly involved with the delivery of their care and have a 'need to know' relevant to that role. A record will be kept of everyone who accesses a patient's record and alerts will be raised if anyone tries to access a record in contravention of predetermined system rules.
	Breaches of confidence by staff working within or under contract to NHS organisations, or inappropriate use of health records or abuse of computer systems, may lead to disciplinary measures, bring into question professional registration, and possibly result in legal proceedings.
	Where an NHS patient is referred for treatment to a private sector healthcare provider, or in another European Union state, relevant information will be made available where appropriate through the existing request mechanisms, but access to the information on the NHS CRS will be under exactly the same stringent conditions.

Care Records

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether a patient's right to opt out of having personal information on the care record system will include all information on the care record;
	(2)  what plans his Department has to notify individual patients of their right to opt out of having personal information on their care record shared within the NHS.

John Hutton: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Westbury (Dr. Murrison) on 2 November 2004, Official Report, column 176W, and on 8 November 2004, Official Report, column 538W.

Community Health Councils

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the running costs of (a) community health councils in the last year of operation and (b) the replacement systems have been to date.

Rosie Winterton: pursuant to her reply, 4 October 2004, Official Report, c. 1956–57W
	I regret my previous reply was incorrect. It should read as follows:
	In 2002–03, the last year of the operation of community health councils (CHCs), the total running costs for CHCs was £13.981 million. By the end of 2004–05, the total running and set up costs of the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH) will be £66.76 million. This figure includes all costs associated with patients' forums. It also includes CPPIH set up costs of around £2.5 million in 2002–03.

Decontamination

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many contaminated medical devices were submitted to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency without having been suitably cleaned prior to decontamination in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: As part of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency's (MHRA) investigation of an adverse incident it may be necessary to request submission of the device involved for examination by the Agency's medical device specialists. Where such a devices are submitted without sufficient evidence of adequate decontamination, those devices will, for the safety and protection of the Agency staff who may handle them, be decontaminated prior to examination.
	Advice and warnings about the submission of contaminated items is clearly provided in MHRA printed publications and guidance. In particular, a special medical device alert on adverse incident reporting is updated and re-issued at the beginning of each year. The advice is also repeated on medical device adverse incident report forms, on the MHRA's website and on the MHRA on-line reporting system.
	
		Devices submitted to the MHRA requiring decontaminationby the MHRA
		
			  number of devices received number requiring decontamination percentage requiring decontamination 
		
		
			 1998 548 63 11.5 
			 1999 419 22 5.2 
			 2000 861 38 4.4 
			 2001 1026 48 4.7 
			 2002 827 254 30.7 
			 2003 394 70 17.8

Dentistry

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) of 14 September 2004, Official Report, columns 1122–1123, on dental schools, what system of commissioning is in place to report the dental work force figures.

Rosie Winterton: Next year we plan to check the assumptions upon which our expansion of the dental work force is based using data from the Dental Practice Board on dentists receiving remuneration under the national health service, from the General Dental Council on the registration of dentists and from NHS trusts on the number of salaried dentists.

Dentistry

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to agree the new NHS dental contract.

Rosie Winterton: We are to implement the new contractual arrangements from October 2005 and are confident that there is sufficient time to complete the necessary preparatory work.

Dentistry

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Altrincham and Sale, West (Mr. Brady) of 1 September 2004, Official Report, column 888W, on dentistry, when the Chief Dental Officer expects to report back on the findings of the working group on extra training places; who the members of the working group will be; and whether the remit will include assessment of the requirement for a new dental school.

Rosie Winterton: The Chief Dental Officer is due to report in January 2005. The working group, which is considering all the options for the allocation of the additional training places, comprises the following.
	
		
			 Member  
		
		
			 Professor Raman Bedi Chief Dental Officer, Chair 
			 Mr. Gareth Cruddace Chief Executive, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic Health Authority (SHA) 
			 Mr. Denis Gibson Chief Executive, Hampshire and Isle of Wight NHS Workforce Development Confederation (WDC) 
			 Professor Bill Hume Higher Education Funding Council for England 
			 Ms Rosemary Grant Director of Education Commissioning Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire WDC 
			 Professor Malcolm Jones Dean, University of Wales Dental School 
			 Professor John Murray Former Dean of Newcastle Dental School and Co-Chair of General Dental Council Visiting Panel 
			 Mr. David Noyce Higher Education Funding Council for England 
			 Mr. David Sissling Chief Executive, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland SHA 
			 Mr. Derek Sprague Commissioning Manager, Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire SHA 
			 Mr. Martin Sturges Department of Health 
			 Mr. Martin Williams Department for Education and Skills

Dentistry

Harold Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to change the guidance issued on the number of recommended visits by NHS patients to their dentists; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 2 November 2004
	We are taking account of the recent guideline from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence on recall interval between routine dental examinations in preparing for new contractual arrangements for national health service dentistry to be introduced from October 2005.

Dentistry

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what his Department's policy is on access to dentures on the NHS;
	(2)  what plans his Department has to ensure that older people can obtain dentures on the NHS; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what fees patients are charged on the NHS for dentures.

Rosie Winterton: The national health service statement of dental remuneration makes the following provision:
	
		Dentures -- £
		
			  Full upper and lower Upper or lower only 
		
		
			 Patient's Charge 122.32 76.32 
			 Dentist's fee 152.90 95.40 
			 Total sum received by dentist 275.22 171.72 
		
	
	We are aware of problems with NHS dentistry in some areas and, as a result, some people may have difficulties in obtaining new or replacement dentures. We are undertaking the most wide-ranging reforms since the service began in 1948. Not only do the reforms include the recruitment of more dentists, but we are collaborating with the General Dental Council to provide for the registration of a new class of dental technician—the clinical dental technician—who would be able both to supply and fit dentures.

Dentistry

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  which staff are permitted to take impressions to make and fit dentures; which regulations apply to this; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of dentures provided illegally in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: Taking impressions and fitting dentures are part of the practice of dentistry which, under section 38 of the Dentists Act 1984, may only be carried out by a registered dentist or, in the case of taking impression, by a registered dental hygienist or dental therapist working under the direction of a dentist. We will shortly be laying regulations before the House which would empower the General Dental Council to register a new class of dental technician, the clinical dental technician, who would be able both to supply and fit dentures.
	Currently a dental technician who fits dentures is practising illegally. We do not have information on which to base an estimate of the number of dentures provided illegally. I understand that the General Dental Council has records of 41 cases it has prosecuted since 1997 involving dental technicians undertaking the practice of dentistry.

Departmental Contracts

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will list the 30 largest contracts awarded by his Department from (a) May 2001 to April 2002, (b) May 2002 to April 2003, (c) May 2003 to April 2004 and (d) May 2004 to the latest date for which information is available, indicating in each case (i) the values of the contracts and (ii) the companies with which the contracts were placed;
	(2)  which non-accounting and non-information technology external organisations which previously held contracts with his Department (a) won new contracts at the culmination of the existing contracts and (b) won new contracts after a period of inactivity with his Department in each of the past four years;
	(3)  which non-accounting and non-information technology external organisations have won new contracts with (a) his Department and (b) executive agencies for which he is responsible in each of the past three years.

Rosie Winterton: The Department does not hold centrally a record of individual contracts nor does it have similar details for its agencies. To secure such details could only obtained at disproportionate cost.

Diet

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what dietary guidance his Department gives to the section of the population who are (a) overweight and (b) clinically obese; and whether he plans to publish a consumer reference resource identifying different weight loss strategies and products.

Melanie Johnson: The Government's advice is that people, including those who are overweight and obese and who wish to attain and maintain a healthy weight, should consume a balanced diet and become more physically active. Guidance covering different weight loss strategies and products can be sought from local general practitioners and health professionals. The White Paper on improving health, which is due out later this year, will contain the Government's strategy for tackling obesity.

Diet

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what guidance his Department gives on carbohydrate-controlled diets; what plans he has to review that guidance in the light of recent research on the effectiveness of carbohydrate controlled diets; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of carbohydrate-controlled diets; what studies his Department has conducted into the effects of carbohydrate controlled diets; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: The Government provide consumers with a wide range of information on nutrition aimed at improving their diet and health, which includes advice on consuming carbohydrates as part of a healthy balanced diet. Dietary advice, including the role of low-fat, low-carbohydrate and very low-energy diets will be considered in the forthcoming National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidance on the prevention, identification, assessment and management of overweight and obesity in adults and children, where there is good evidence of effectiveness.

Green Ministers

John Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many meetings of the Ministerial Sub-Committee of Green Ministers were attended by the Department's Green Minister in (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04.

Melanie Johnson: It has been established practice under successive Governments not to disclose information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committees. This practice is now formalised by Exemption 2 of Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Health Services (Bury, North)

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the current waiting times are for patients in Bury, North for each of the 10 most frequent surgical procedures in elective admissions; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 9 November 2004
	The information is not available in the requested format. However, information relating to waiting times per surgical specialty at the Pennine Acute Hospitals National Health Service Trust are shown in the tables.
	
		Current waiting times for surgical specialties for Pennine Acute Trust: June 2004–05
		
			   Months 
			 Specialty name Total waiting 0-<1 1-<2 2-<3 3-<4 4-<5 5-<6 
		
		
			 General surgery 3,416 1,028 699 421 420 333 233 
			 Urology 1,494 412 265 201 170 129 73 
			 Trauma and orthopaedics 2,971 525 582 406 425 346 293 
			 Ear, nose and throat 1,356 392 265 194 175 122 82 
			 Ophthalmology 1,169 379 181 193 189 79 70 
			 Oral surgery 473 200 137 51 35 18 13 
			 Plastic surgery 12 12 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Cardiothoracic surgery 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Paediatric surgery 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Obstetrics and gynaecology  (gynaecology) 1,040 455 272 123 84 56 44 
		
	
	
		
			  Months 
			 Speciality name 6-<7 7-<8 8-<9 9-<10 10-<11 11-<12 12 plus 
		
		
			 General surgery 143 94 45 0 0 0 0 
			 Urology 71 102 71 0 0 0 0 
			 Trauma and orthopaedics 153 193 48 0 0 0 0 
			 Ear, nose and throat 38 74 14 0 0 0 0 
			 Ophthalmology 39 35 4 0 0 0 0 
			 Oral surgery 5 12 2 0 0 0 0 
			 Plastic surgery 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Cardiothoracic surgery 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Paediatric surgery 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Obstetrics and gynaecology  (gynaecology) 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health form KH.

Hospital Infections

John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on (a) the incidence of MRSA at Birmingham Heartlands and Solihull NHS hospitals and (b) the remedial action which is being taken.

Melanie Johnson: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath (Mr. Godsiff), today.

Hospital Trusts (Press Releases)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who is responsible for the content of press releases issued by hospital trusts.

Rosie Winterton: Hospital trusts are themselves responsible for the releases they issue.

Independent Regulator of Foundation Trusts

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the budget is for the Independent Regulator of Foundation Trusts for 2004–05; and what it is projected to be for (a) 2005–06, (b) 2006–07, (c) 2007–08 and (d) 2009–10.

John Hutton: Monitor, the statutory name of which is the independent regulator of national health service foundation trusts, is an independent corporate body established under the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003. The memorandum of understanding between Monitor and the Department, a copy of which is available in the Library, details Monitor's funding arrangements.
	I am informed by the Chairman of Monitor that the budget for 2004–05 is £16.01 million. He has advised me that proposals for 2005–06 have yet to be fully developed, but that the budget is likely to be similar to that for the current financial year.

Mental Health Services

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are employed in the delivery of mental health services in Plymouth.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not available centrally.

MRSA

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on rates of MRSA at (a) Barnet, (b) Chase Farm, (c) Northwick Park, (d) Royal Free and (e) Edgware Hospitals in each of the last three years.

Stephen Ladyman: Information on the rates of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) blood stream infections is only available for acute national health service trusts and these data are shown in the table.
	Data are not collected centrally for Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust, of which Edgware Hospital is a part.
	
		
			  Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust North West London Hospitals NHS Trust Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 
		
		
			 Number of MRSA bacteraemia reports April 2001-March 2002 62 59 122 
			 MRSA rate per 1,000 bed-days April 2001-March 2002 0.20 0.23 0.41 
			 Number of MRSA bacteraemia reports April 2002-March 2003 94 44 101 
			 MRSA rate per 1,000 bed-days April 2002-March 2003 0.28 0.16 0.39 
			 Number of MRSA bacteraemia reports April 2003-March 2004 94 55 98 
			 MRSA rate per 1,000 bed-days April 2003-March 2004 0.27 0.20 0.34

National Blood Service

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much donated blood was disposed of by the National Blood Service as the result of false reactions to blood tests in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many people were informed by the National Blood Service in each year since 1997 of a false reaction to a blood test; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  for what reasons the donation of blood which has given a false reaction to a blood test but has proved safe in subsequent tests is not permitted; and why a further test after an interval of several months is required before the person can donate blood.

Melanie Johnson: The table shows the total number of donated units of blood that were disposed of by the National Blood Service (NBS) as a result of false positive results on blood screening tests.
	Since 2000, it has been national policy to inform donors of false reactions in order to take a small blood sample for repeat testing of the donor. This avoids collecting full donations from this group of donors in a situation where the donations will not be used. The table shows from 2000 onwards the number of donors who were informed, which is the same number as the number of units disposed.
	
		
			  Total units disposed (all markers) Total donations tested 
		
		
			 1997 6,161 2,553,387 
			 1998 6,304 2,387,793 
			 1999 6,861 2,442,122 
			 2000 7,807 2,427,919 
			 2001 5,372 23,379,521 
			 2002 5,996 2,381,402 
			 2003 3652 2,345,183 
			 2004(60) 3,627 1,162,954 
		
	
	(60) January to June.
	The matter of a false reaction on a blood donation which is subsequently determined to be safe is a matter of good manufacturing practice, with which NBS must comply because it produces components which are transfused in humans.
	The interval of several months before the person can donate is a precautionary measure. It allows time to establish that there is not a true infection in the donor. This time is required because of the varying incubation periods of the infections for which screening is undertaken.

NHS and Departmental Salaries

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in (a) the NHS and (b) his Department earn a whole-time equivalent salary of £57,485 or more.

Rosie Winterton: 297 people in the Department of Health were earning a whole-time equivalent salary of £57,845 on 1 March 2004.
	An estimated 3 to 4 per cent. of staff were on contracts on national pay scales in the national health service (excluding GPs) with a full time annualised salary of more than £57,485 in August 2003.

NHS Dentistry

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of dentists in each county in England undertake NHS work.

Rosie Winterton: The numbers of general and personal dental service dentists in each county and in each local authority areas not defined as a county England are shown in the following tables.
	Information is only available on national health service dentists and therefore the percentage of dentists in each county undertaking NHS work cannot be given. Relatively few dentists practise totally privately.
	
		Number of general and personal dental service dentists in each county in England at 31 October 2004
		
			 County Number of dentists 
		
		
			 Bedfordshire 134 
			 Buckinghamshire 234 
			 Cambridgeshire 229 
			 Cheshire 240 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 144 
			 Cumbria 188 
			 Derbyshire 310 
			 Devon 216 
			 Dorset 162 
			 Durham 178 
			 East Sussex 238 
			 Essex 532 
			 Gloucestershire 249 
			 Hampshire 526 
			 Hertfordshire 651 
			 Kent 551 
			 Lancashire 387 
			 Leicestershire 214 
			 Lincolnshire 171 
			 Norfolk 361 
			 North Yorkshire 236 
			 Northamptonshire 212 
			 Northumberland 112 
			 Nottinghamshire 292 
			 Oxfordshire 304 
			 Shropshire 109 
			 Somerset 204 
			 Staffordshire 272 
			 Suffolk 277 
			 Surrey 618 
			 Warwickshire 241 
			 West Sussex 462 
			 Wiltshire 156 
			 Worcestershire 220 
		
	
	Some areas do not have county status even though they may lie within county boundaries.
	For such areas, the number of general and personal dental service dentists is given by local authority area.
	
		Number of general and personal dental service dentists in local authority areas not defined by county at 31 October 2004
		
			 Local authority Number of dentists 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 58 
			 Barnet 206 
			 Barnsley 62 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 94 
			 Bexley 99 
			 Birmingham 411 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 53 
			 Blackpool 48 
			 Bolton 101 
			 Bournemouth 87 
			 Bracknell Forest 55 
			 Bradford 149 
			 Brent 173 
			 Brighton and Hove 144 
			 Bristol, City of 194 
			 Bromley 164 
			 Bury 72 
			 Calderdale 74 
			 Camden 168 
			 City of London 12 
			 Coventry 126 
			 Croydon 198 
			 Darlington 48 
			 Derby 98 
			 Doncaster 95 
			 Dudley 119 
			 Ealing 155 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 82 
			 Enfield 156 
			 Gateshead 83 
			 Greenwich 113 
			 Hackney 82 
			 Halton 15 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 139 
			 Haringey 137 
			 Harrow 132 
			 Hartlepool 24 
			 Havering 119 
			 Herefordshire, County of 68 
			 Hillingdon 130 
			 Hounslow 115 
			 Isle of Wight 38 
			 Islington 119 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 90 
			 Kingston upon Hull, City of 81 
			 Kingston upon Thames 80 
			 Kirklees 138 
			 Knowsley 48 
			 Lambeth 136 
			 Leeds 265 
			 Leicester 123 
			 Lewisham 124 
			 Liverpool 164 
			 Luton 72 
			 Manchester 168 
			 Medway 113 
			 Merton 100 
			 Middlesbrough 78 
			 Milton Keynes 92 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 159 
			 Newham 99 
			 North East Lincolnshire 41 
			 North Lincolnshire 17 
			 North Somerset 109 
			 North Tyneside 72 
			 Nottingham 143 
			 Oldham 57 
			 Peterborough 74 
			 Plymouth 83 
			 Poole 87 
			 Portsmouth 76 
			 Reading 92 
			 Redbridge 150 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 55 
			 Richmond upon Thames 113 
			 Rochdale 55 
			 Rotherham 51 
			 Rutland 15 
			 Salford 80 
			 Sandwell 117 
			 Sefton 40 
			 Sheffield 151 
			 Slough 66 
			 Solihull 86 
			 South Gloucestershire 89 
			 South Tyneside 48 
			 Southampton 61 
			 Southend-on-Sea 60 
			 Southwark 102 
			 St. Helens 48 
			 Stockport 90 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 100 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 68 
			 Sunderland 115 
			 Sutton 109 
			 Swindon 71 
			 Tameside 57 
			 Telford and Wrekin 58 
			 Thurrock 45 
			 Torbay 54 
			 Tower Hamlets 96 
			 Trafford 104 
			 Wakefield 94 
			 Walsall 71 
			 Waltham Forest 105 
			 Wandsworth 157 
			 Warrington 43 
			 West Berkshire 62 
			 Westminster 193 
			 Wigan 117 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 85 
			 Wirral 33 
			 Wokingham 64 
			 Wolverhampton 95 
			 York 82 
		
	
	Dentists have been included by either county or local authority on the basis of their practice postcode. They have been counted in each county or local authority in which they practise.

NHS Dentistry

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate he has made of the number of people in the Portsmouth area who are unable to access an NHS dentist.

Rosie Winterton: The Department does not collect information on the numbers of people who are unable to access a National Health Service dentist. However, the latest information from NHS Direct shows that, in March 2004, there were 296 calls from people in the Portsmouth city area, all of whom were referred to dentists accepting patients within local distance standards. The Department has allocated £1.5 million to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic Health Authority to improve access, choice and quality in NHS dentistry.

NHS Dentistry

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been allocated to each NHS trust in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to improve access to dentistry in the last five years; and what criteria are used in allocating such funding.

Rosie Winterton: From 1999 to 2003, the Department funded three schemes—Investing in Dentistry, Dental Care Development Fund and Modernising Dentistry. Their common purpose was to make grants to health authorities (HAs), which were furthest from the Government's targets for improving access to National Health Service dentistry, for extending dental practices or purchasing new equipment to enable them to treat more patients. Responsibility for administering the scheme was delegated to the HAs with advice that they imposed conditions on the use of the funds to benefit NHS patients. Information is not held centrally on which dental practices benefited from this scheme.
	In 2004–05, the Department has allocated a total of £50 million to strategic health authorities (SHAs) to support access in 2004–05. Of this sum, £1.5 million has been allocated to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight SHA to improve access, choice and quality in NHS dentistry.
	The criteria for distribution from the centre to the SHAs was based on weighted capitation reflecting population and deprivation. From then on, it is up to individual SHAs to decide how to distribute these funds at a local level.
	In addition to this funding, Fareham and Gosport primary care trust (PCT), Isle of Wight PCT and New Forest PCT are also receiving support from the NHS dentistry support team, which is backed by a fund of £9 million, the break down of which is shown in the table.
	
		(£000)
		
			 PCT Recurrent Non-recurrent 
		
		
			 Fareham and Gosport 310,000 26,000 
			 Isle of Wight 600,000 — 
			 New Forest 490,000 — 
		
	
	The criteria for selecting the most challenged PCTs by the support team are:
	severe access situation in absolute terms;
	instability of the present situation;
	lack of confidence in the local capacity to put convincing plans for improvement in place.

NHS Dentistry

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on (i) dental decay and (ii) requirement for dental services in each of the NHS trust areas in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The Department has not commissioned any research or evaluation on dental decay or requirements for dental services in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, but, as we move towards the delegation of contracting for National Health Service dentistry, primary care trusts are becoming increasingly involved in assessing the oral health needs of their populations.
	At a national level, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence issued guidelines in October on recall interval between routine dental examinations. We are taking account of the guideline in preparing for the new contractual arrangements for NHS dentistry to be introduced from October 2005. A significant number of dentists are entering the new arrangements early, through the personal dental schemes.
	In addition, dental epidemiological surveys of the dental health of children have been carried out annually since 1986, co-ordinated for the NHS by the British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry. This programme seeks to monitor the dental health of children and contributes to the national monitoring of service provision and targets, while providing data locally to aid in service planning and evaluation of oral health strategies.

NHS Direct

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of (a) whether NHS Direct is providing advice to people who would not have otherwise sought medical attention and (b) the extent to which NHS Direct is diverting people away from their general practitioners.

Rosie Winterton: Information on whether NHS Direct is providing advice to people who would not have otherwise sought medical attention is not collected centrally.
	The National Audit Office found the best estimate that can be generated from available data suggests that NHS Direct is off-setting around half of its running costs by encouraging more appropriate use of NHS services. This includes advising a significant number of callers who would otherwise have visited their general practitioner on how to care for themselves instead.

NHS Foundation Trusts

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much each of the first round of foundation hospital trusts spent on preparing its application for foundation status; and how much of this was paid to outside consultants;
	(2)  how much each of the first round of foundation hospital trusts spent on preparing for foundation status after they had been given the go-ahead to do so.

John Hutton: The Department provides a centrally-provided programme of support and direct financial support to applicants preparing for national health service foundation trust status. It does not, however, hold information on the level of resources or the way in which resources are used by applicants in preparing for foundation status, as it is for each trust to determine how resources are best spent. Costs vary from trust to trust, depending on the individual circumstances of the organisation and its state of readiness.

NHS Foundation Trusts

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much money, and to which organisations, each Foundation Hospital Trust paid in fees to outside bodies for help (a) with compiling registers of electors and (b) in the conduct of elections for boards of governors;
	(2)  how much each of the first round of Foundation Hospital Trusts spent on (a) compiling its register of electors for governors and (b) the conduct of their elections.

John Hutton: I refer my right hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) on 15 June 2004, Official Report, column 896W.

NHS Foundation Trusts

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 11 October 2004, Official Report, column 4WS, on ministerial accountability for NHS foundation trusts, in what circumstances a Minister from his Department will comment (a) in the House and (b) in the press on issues arising within an NHS foundation trust.

John Hutton: As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State said on 30 March 2004, Official Report, column 83WS, because of the independent status and separate and local route of accountability of national health service foundation trusts (NHSFTs), Ministers are not in a position to comment on the details of operational management within these organisations. The statement of 11 October 2004, Official Report, column 4WS, confirmed that copies of replies by NHSFTs to such questions would be placed in the Library. Media inquiries on operational matters are treated in a similar fashion, being directed to the NHSFT in question.
	The new arrangements also stem directly from the limits on information gathering set out in the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003. The Department holds only that information about NHSFTs that the Act (s19(1)(a) ) allows. This precludes the collection of routine operational data and, where the Department does not hold information, replies based on such information cannot be given. Conversely, if the information is held centrally, then a substantive reply will be given in the usual way. Ministers will also continue to be responsible for answering questions on general policy for provision of NHS services where provision is through NHSFTs. Notwithstanding the advent of NHSFTS, matters of national policy, including the statutory framework for the NHS and its resources, standards and targets remain the responsibility of Ministers.

NHS Pay

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what pay band he anticipates the majority of (a) radiographers and (b) physiotherapists will be placed in under Agenda for Change.

John Hutton: We anticipate that the majority of qualified radiographers and qualified physiotherapists will be placed on pay bands six and seven.

NHS Pay

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what effect Agenda for Change is likely to have on the hourly rate of pay of radiographers.

John Hutton: We anticipate that for the majority of existing radiographers there will be an increase in the hourly rate of pay, both in the short term when hours will be unchanged and in the longer run when hours are increased.

NHS Professionals

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS acute trusts had signed up to use NHS Professionals on the latest date for which figures are available; and what proportion of acute trusts this represents.

John Hutton: NHS Professionals has advised that, with effect from 1 November, a total of 76 national health service trusts have signed up to use its services. This is made up of 37 acute trusts, 30 primary care trusts and nine mental health trusts.
	76 trusts represents 30 per cent. of NHS acute/specialist and mental health trusts.

NHS Staff

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) nurses, (b) doctors and (c) professions allied to medicine he expects there will be in the NHS in England in (i) 2005–06, (ii) 2006–7, (iii) 2007–08, (iv) 2008–09 and (v) 2009–10.

John Hutton: Delivering the NHS Plan included expectations for increases in the National Health Service workforce. By 2008 we expect there to be 35,000 more nurses, midwives and health visitors, 30,000 more therapists and scientists and 15,000 more doctors (consultants and general practitioners) employed in the NHS than there were in 2001. The expectation for increasing the nursing workforce has been met already, there are almost 46,000 more nurses than in 2001, and we are making considerable progress towards the others, as at June 2004, there were 6,719 more doctors and by September 2003, there were 11,825 more therapists and scientists than in 2001.
	It is for local NHS organisations to determine the workforce it needs to meet service objectives and we are supporting the NHS in developing new and innovative ways of working, enabling organisations to develop the skill mix appropriate to local need.
	The expectations for increasing the NHS workforce by 2008 have not been broken down by year.

Paediatric Care

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) paediatric beds and (b) paediatric wards there were in each strategic health authority area for each of the past five years.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 1 November 2004
	Data for strategic health authorities (SHAs) can only be provided from 2002–03, the year SHAs were introduced. These are shown in the tables. Data on paediatric beds in wards open overnight are collected by ward classification. The data in the table on overnight admissions include all ward classifications that involve children. Data on paediatric beds available during the day only are contained in the table on day beds.
	Data on the number of exclusively paediatric wards are not collected centrally.
	
		Average daily number of available paediatric beds for specified ward classifications, SHAs in England (beds open overnight)
		
			  2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 England 13,032 12,641 
			
			 SHAs   
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire HA 497 490 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire HA 263 234 
			 Essex HA 325 276 
			 North West London HA 410 408 
			 North Central London HA 717 715 
			 North East London HA 346 354 
			 South East London HA 479 478 
			 South West London HA 325 321 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear HA 478 473 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley HA 331 316 
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern  Lincolnshire HA 323 319 
			 West Yorkshire HA 631 607 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire HA 465 453 
			 Greater Manchester HA 917 928 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside HA 686 665 
			 Thames Valley HA 529 516 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight HA 421 392 
			 Kent and Medway HA 324 304 
			 Surrey and Sussex HA 559 547 
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire HA 594 587 
			 South West Peninsula HA 331 356 
			 Somerset and Dorset HA 239 230 
			 South Yorkshire HA 485 406 
			 Trent HA 561 549 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland HA 356 354 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire HA 288 291 
			 Birmingham and the Black Country HA 824 750 
			 West Midlands HA 326 323 
		
	
	Note:
	The specified ward classifications used in the above table are those that involve children.
	Source:
	Department of Health Form KH03.
	
		Average daily number of available beds in wards open day only (neonates and children), SHAs in England
		
			  2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 England 589 688 
			
			 SHAs   
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire HA 6 8 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire HA 33 84 
			 Essex HA 16 11 
			 North West London HA 37 31 
			 North Central London HA 34 36 
			 North East London HA 30 31 
			 South East London HA 20 21 
			 South West London HA 32 34 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear HA 41 41 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley HA 18 17 
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern  Lincolnshire HA 6 6 
			 West Yorkshire HA 17 17 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire HA 31 31 
			 Greater Manchester HA 21 32 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside HA 51 52 
			 Thames Valley HA 20 55 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight HA 14 22 
			 Kent and Medway HA — — 
			 Surrey and Sussex HA 16 16 
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire HA 21 25 
			 South West Peninsula HA 11 11 
			 Somerset and Dorset HA 7 7 
			 South Yorkshire HA 26 26 
			 Trent HA 24 25 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland HA 5 4 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire HA 7 9 
			 Birmingham and the Black Country HA 42 32 
			 West Midlands HA 4 4 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health Form KH03.

Patient Choice

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment has been made by his Department of the costs to the NHS of (a) general practitioner time and (b) advocacy support to implement the patient choice initiative;
	(2)  what provision has been made by his Department for advocacy support for patients under the new proposals for patient choice;
	(3)  what estimate has been made by his Department of the time needed per general practitioner consultation to make a choose and book referral.

John Hutton: The level and targeting of patient support will be considered by primary care trusts (PCTs) as part of their implementation planning for choose and book. To support this we are developing best practice guidelines for PCTs on contracting with voluntary and community sector groups to provide advocacy and support to patients making a choice of hospital.
	The Dr Foster research study on the implications of choice at referral, which was published in April 2004, found no significant difference in consultation time when offering choice (against a non-choice consultation leading to a referral). Extensive demonstrations and testing of the choose and book service have shown that booking an appointment with the patient takes approximately one minute to complete. Additional research has indicated that GPs make, on average, fewer than five referrals per week.
	Local health communities are currently reporting on their state of readiness for the delivery of choice.

Patient Support Networks

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to support the development of voluntary sector support networks for patients.

Stephen Ladyman: A successful partnership with the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) is integral to the delivery of user centred health and social services. Community and voluntary groups already play important roles in the delivery of health and social care—they support service users and carers, acting as advocates and providing specialist information and advice as well as providing a range of health and support services directly to users. The Department supports this in a variety of ways including:
	The Section 64 General Scheme of grants which is the Department's main support for national voluntary organisations working in the health and social care fields. Applications for funding are invited annually from the voluntary and community sector.
	"Making Partnership Work for Patients, Carers and Service Users: A Strategic Partnership Agreement Between the Department of Health, the NHS and the Voluntary and Community Sector", published in September 2004, is the first Agreement exclusively between the Department of Health, the NHS and the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS). It will benefit patients, carers and service users by providing them with real alternatives so that they can choose services that best suit their needs.

Pharmaceuticals

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the (a) expected change in the NHS drugs bill in England, (b) expected change in the Government allowance to the pharmaceutical industry for research and development and (c) net change in Government spending resulting from the new Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme in each of the next five years.

Rosie Winterton: A price reduction of 7 per cent, in the prices of branded prescription medicines as part of the new Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme (PPRS) will save an estimated £370 million a year for the national health service in the community in England. This is more than £1.8 billion over the five years of the agreement. Additional savings are expected in hospitals.
	The new PPRS includes greater incentives for the research and development (R&D) of new medicines, including those for children, with an increased R&D allowance, up to 28 per cent. of NHS sales. Under the current scheme it is up to 23 per cent. of NHS sales.
	The net change in Government spending resulting from the new Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme taken as a whole, including the price reduction, changes to R&D allowances and other changes to the PPRS agreement, is expected to be at least £1.8 billion over the next five years.

Prescriptions

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average number of prescriptions dispensed per person in the NHS was in England in the last year for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: In 2003, there were on average 13.1 prescription items dispensed in the community in England per head of population.
	This information is included in "Prescriptions Dispensed in the Community Statistics for 1993 to 2003: England". This bulletin is available in the Library and on the Department's website at: http://www.publications.doh.gov.uk/prescriptionstatistics/index.htm.

Prescriptions

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the proportion of patients paying prescription charges who had chronic diseases in the last year for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: No such estimate has been made. Information is recorded about the number of chargeable items dispensed and about the medication dispensed. Information is not recorded about the number of individuals who pay charges nor the condition for which they are being treated.

Prescriptions

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the criteria are for eligibility for a prescription charge pre-payment certificate.

Rosie Winterton: Anyone who has to pay prescription charges can purchase prescription charge pre-payment certificates. These are available at a cost of £33.40 and £91.80, covering four and 12 months respectively. People who have to pay for more than five prescription items in four months, or 14 items in 12 months, can save money by buying a pre-payment certificate.

Prescriptions

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people had prescription charge pre-payment certificates in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The estimated numbers of people holding pre-payment certificates over the years 1997–98 to 2002–03 are shown in the table.
	
		Estimated average number of holders of pre-payment certificates over the year, in thousands
		
			  Pre-payment certificates 
			  4 month 12 month Total 
		
		
			 1997–98 170 300 470 
			 1998–99 160 300 460 
			 1999–2000 180 310 490 
			 2000–01 190 350 540 
			 2001–02 200 400 600 
			 2002–03 210 450 660

Press Releases

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many press releases have been issued by his Department in each month of 2004; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 11 November 2004, Official Report, column 857W.

Primary Care Trusts

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total administration budget of primary care trusts is in real terms in each of the next three years.

John Hutton: We do not set separate administration budgets for primary care trusts (PCTs). PCTs decide levels of investment in administration locally but are required to agree proposals with their professional executive committees and strategic health authority.
	The latest round of revenue allocations to PCTs covered the period 2003–04 to 2005–06 and totalled in cash terms £148 billion. Allocations beyond 2005–06 have not yet been set.

Social Services

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to encourage the use of direct payments among clients of social services departments.

Stephen Ladyman: We have changed the law so that there is now a duty on councils to make a direct payment to individuals who can consent to have them. We have also strengthened the performance indicator to monitor the take up of direct payments in each local council. In addition, we are investing £9 million over three years to develop local support services, which are critical to the success of direct payment schemes.
	We have produced a range of information, including, "A guide to receiving direct payments from your local council", which is also available in Braille and audio formats. We have produced material to encourage people with learning disabilities, parents of disabled children and people from black and minority ethnic communities to take up direct payments. We are also funding the production of a video targeted at older people.
	Local councils should supplement this with local appropriate information.

Stem Cell Research

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding was given to stem cell research in the United Kingdom in the last year for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: In the 2002 Spending Review, the Government allocated £40 million for a major cross council investment in stem cell research. This is being made available in 2004–05 and 2005–06, with the allocations listed in the table:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 MRC 26 
			 Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) 1.8 
			 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) 1.2 
			 Council for the Central Laboratory of Research Councils (CCLRC) 0.4 
			 Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 10.6

Student Grants Unit

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when the NHS Student Grants Unit will be able to receive email correspondence;
	(2)  how many claims were handled by the NHS Student Grants Unit in Blackpool in each of the last three years;
	(3)  what targets have been set for payments of NHS bursaries;
	(4)  what the average grant for a final year medical student from the NHS Bursaries Unit was in the last year for which figures are available;
	(5)  how many staff are employed in the NHS Student Grants Unit in Blackpool; and if he will make a statement;
	(6)  whether there is a dedicated helpline for hon. Members to contact the NHS Bursary Unit in Blackpool; and if he will make a statement;
	(7)  what the target response time by telephone is for the NHS Student Grants Unit in Blackpool.

John Hutton: Email inquiries to the national health service student grants unit can be sent to nhs-sgu@ukonline.co.uk. A technical problem resulted in the email account going off-line for a short period in the week commencing 1 November, but this issue has now been resolved.
	NHS bursaries awards in each of the last three financial years are shown in the table.
	
		
			  Number of cases 
		
		
			 2002–03 80,260 
			 2003–04 85,685 
			 2004–05(61) 75,684 
		
	
	(61) Figure to date.
	The target for bursary payments for first year students is six working days following course enrolment and correct completion of application form. The average NHS bursary awarded to medical and dental students in academic year 2003–04, the last year for which a figure is available, was £1,825. The student grants unit currently employs 73 staff on permanent or fixed term contracts. An additional 10 staff are employed on a casual basis. Hon. and right hon. Members can contact the student grants unit management team on telephone number 01253 393459. This separate British Telecom line has been set up specifically to deal with hon. and right hon. Member's constituent inquiries.
	There is no specific target response time for telephone calls. The student grants unit telephone system can deal with 30 calls (in and out) simultaneously and 24 of the unit's staff routinely deal with these inquiries on a rota basis. If no officer is immediately available to deal with an inquiry, the caller is placed in a queuing system until one becomes available. Between January and September 2004, the unit has successfully dealt with 77,038 calls.

Timesheet Fraud

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prosecutions the Counter Fraud and Security Management Service and its predecessor the NHS Counter Fraud Service brought against bank and agency nursing staff for timesheet fraud since September 1998.

John Hutton: holding answer 8 November 2004
	Since 1998, we have investigated a number of cases of suspected timesheet fraud by both bank and agency staff. These investigations have resulted in 39 criminal prosecutions. Additionally, during the same period there have been two prosecutions for false identity by a bank member of staff and for obtaining a pecuniary advantage by an agency member of staff.

Voluntary Sector Compensation

Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to compensate the voluntary sector if statutory agencies do not meet the full cost of their public service provision by the 2006 deadline set by the Treasury's Crosscutting Review.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department is fully committed to the recommendations in the "Treasury's Cross Cutting Review on the Voluntary and Community Sector in Service Delivery". The recommendation that Departments should ensure by April 2006 that their procurement policies recognise and reflect the full cost of services, including a legitimate portion of overhead costs, in the price of contracts for voluntary and community sector contractors is already reflected in the Department's procurement policies and practice.
	The introduction of payment by results in the national health service will radically change the arrangements for funding providers of care. Comprising a national tariff for the majority of secondary care services, including services provided by voluntary providers when fully implemented, payment by results could in effect provide full cost recovery (FCR) for any contractor. FCR will take time to implement fully with contracts being assessed as they are agreed or renewed up to 2008. In achieving this, the emphasis is on effective negotiation between contracting partners rather than through compensation of one party by another.

Waiting Times

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were waiting for a referral to a specialist from their general practitioner at the latest date for which figures are available, broken down by (a) clinical area and (b) length of wait.

John Hutton: Information on waiting times for general practitioner (GP) referrals is not collected. However, information on waiting times from GP referral to first out-patient appointment can be found on the Department's website at www.performance.doh.gov.uk/waitingtimes/2004/q1/index.html

Waiting Times

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many trusts have maintained maximum nine months wait for in-patient/day case admissions in (a) England and (b) Crosby since July 2003.

John Hutton: Since the end of March 2004, when a maximum nine month wait for elective in-patient or day case admission became a standard national health service performance requirement, 144 NHS trusts (out of a total of 181) have achieved this standard in each of the reporting periods. Since the end of June 2003, before the standard applied, 22 NHS trusts have achieved a maximum nine month wait in each reporting period.
	Since the end of March 2004, both trusts that cover Crosby (Aintree Hospitals NHS Trust and Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust) have achieved the standard of a maximum nine month wait for elective in-patient or day care admission in each of the reporting periods. Between July 2003 and March 2004, both trusts reported some waits above nine months.

Waiting Times

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many trusts have maintained the maximum 17-week wait for general practitioner referrals to see a consultant in (a) the UK and (b) Crosby since July 2003.

John Hutton: Since the end of March 2004, when a maximum 17-week wait for a first out-patient appointment following general practitioner referral became the standard national health service performance requirement, 207 NHS trusts have maintained a maximum 17-week out-patient wait in each reporting period.
	Since the end of March 2004, both trusts that cover Crosby (Aintree Hospitals NHS Trust and Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust) have achieved the standard of a maximum 17-week out-patient wait in each of the reporting periods. Between July 1003 and March 2004, both trusts reported some waits above 17 weeks.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Pensioners

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the Department's estimate is of the amount paid in rent rebate to pensioners in 2003–04;
	(2)  what the Department's estimate is of the amount paid in council tax benefit to pensioners in 2003–04.

Chris Pond: The Department's estimate of the amount paid out in rent rebate to pensioners in 2003–04 is £2.316 billion in nominal terms.
	The Department's estimate of the amount paid out in Council Tax Benefit to pensioners in 2003–04 is £1.684 billion in nominal terms.
	These figures are consistent with data published at Spending Review 2004.
	Benefit expenditure tables in relation to the Spending Review 2004 are published on the internet at: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/expenditure.asp, table 7.

Pensioners

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in receipt of (a) old age pensions and (b) pension credit are from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, (i) in total and (ii) broken down by ethnic group; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is not available. Departmental records do not record a person's ethnic origin as this is not relevant to the benefit entitlement.

Benefit Claimants (Coventry)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are claiming a working age benefit in Coventry.

Chris Pond: As at May 2004, there were 29,600 working-age claimants of key benefits in the Coventry city council area.

Benefit Entitlement (Newcastle-under-Lyme)

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many pensioners have benefited from the winter fuel payment in Newcastle-under-Lyme in each year since it was introduced;
	(2)  how many pensioners in Newcastle-under- Lyme will be eligible for the winter fuel allowance in 2004–05.

Malcolm Wicks: The number of pensioners in the Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency who have benefited from the winter fuel payment in each year since 1999–2000 is in the table. Information relating to the 1997–98 and 1998–99 winters is not available.
	It is not possible to provide an estimate of the number of people in the Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency who are eligible to receive a winter fuel payment for winter 2004–05 as DWP administrative data do not contain complete information on household circumstances and payments are based on household composition. We expect the figure to be similar to that of winter 2003–04.
	
		
			  Payments made 
		
		
			 1999–2000 16,720 
			 2000–01 18,450 
			 2001–02 18,480 
			 2002–03 18,630 
			 2003–04 18,815 
		
	
	Note:
	Numbers are rounded to the nearest 5.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. samples.

Benefit Fraud

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his future spending projections on principal benefits are net of projected savings from his Department's targets to reduce fraud and error in income support, jobseeker's allowance and housing benefit.

Chris Pond: Future spending projections are in part based upon the trends of spending in the past. These past expenditures are directly affected by, among other things, our success in detecting fraud and error and therefore future projections are influenced by this success.

Benefit Fraud

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of (a) operating and (b) advertising the benefit fraud hotline was in 2003; and how many people have been successfully prosecuted for fraud as a result of evidence from the hotline since its inception.

Chris Pond: The operational cost of the national benefit fraud hotline (NBFH) for year ending 2002–03 (April-March) was £959,277, and for year ending 2003–04 was £1,038,505. The cost of advertising is not separately assessed.
	Notes:
	1. Since the Targeting Benefit Fraud advertising campaign started in 2003, the NBFH has been included in the campaign advertising and has not been the subject of its own advertising. 2. Operational costs include staffing and goods and service costs. 3. The operational costs of administering the NBFH include the costs of administering report-a-cheat-online. These costs cannot be separated.
	Source:
	National Benefit Fraud Hotline
	The available information on the number of successful prosecutions as a result of evidence from the NBFH is in the table.
	
		National benefit fraud hotline successful prosecutions
		
			  Prosecutions Convictions 
		
		
			 April 1999-March 2000 376 335 
			 April 2000-March 2001 542 492 
			 April 2001-March 2002 768 703 
			 April 2002-March 2003 780 706 
			 April 2003-March 2004 672 619 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Full information on the number of successful prosecutions resulting from calls to the NBFH is available only from April 1999
	Source:
	Fraud Information By Sector (FIBS).

Benefit Processing (Workington)

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the proposals for the ending of processing benefit claims in Workington have been subject to rural proofing.

Jane Kennedy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from David Anderson to Tony Cunningham, dated 15 November 2004
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about whether proposals to end the processing of benefit claims in Workington have been subject to rural proofing. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	We are committed to ensuring that everyone is able to access our services, whether they live in urban or rural areas. Increased accessibility is one of our key objectives in modernising welfare delivery. This modernisation is helping us to deliver the commitment made in the Rural White Paper to ensure access to 'high quality public services—services often delivered in new ways, and through new outlets'.
	The centralisation of benefit processing is part of the drive within Jobcentre Plus to modernise and improve services and meet the Government's efficiency challenge.
	Benefit processing is one of the largest and most important business areas within Jobcentre Plus and for some time the Agency has been exploring ways of making it more efficient. Rationalising the number of sites from which benefits are processed will improve service to customers by bringing greater consistency to processes, allow staff to develop more in-depth benefit knowledge and experience, reduce costs (for example in management and overheads) and make better use of the estate.
	In the case of Workington, the existing estate would not support an enlarged processing facility. The proposed move to Carlisle will allow us to capitalise on the facilities available at the former Social Security Office at Rufus House which is capable of being developed into a benefit processing centre housing up to 180 people. Rural considerations have been taken into account when making these planning proposals.
	We hope that many of those currently employed at Workington will transfer with the work to Carlisle. Others may be re-deployed to alternative roles within the Department of Work and Pensions in West Cumbria. Carlisle is an accessible location for many residents in Allerdale and Copeland as well as being the centre for the large rural catchment area of Eden and Dumfries and Galloway. Centralising work in Carlisle should not mean an overall loss of employment opportunities in rural communities.
	The decisions we make about where and how we deliver services are based upon consultation with our partners. These include local authorities and Regional Development Agencies, and reflect local circumstances and most importantly, the needs of the local community. The consideration of rural issues is an integral part of the consultation process. It should also be remembered that unchanged access to a full range of Jobcentre Plus services will still be available to the public through the Workington Jobcentre Plus office.
	The Rural Proofing checklist produced by the Countryside Agency forms part of the initial planning process and, where appropriate, the Countryside Agency itself is consulted as a stakeholder. We produce an internal annual Rural Proofing Report for the Countryside Agency; this includes examples of how the department has addressed service delivery issues in rural areas. We also regularly discuss policy development and implementation with DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and the Countryside Agency.
	I have asked the District Manager for Cumbria to keep you up-dated on developments and he can be contacted on 01539 795550.
	I hope this is helpful.

Benefit Take-up (Hendon)

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Hendon aged 18 to 25 years had been unemployed for six months or longer (a) in May 1997 and (b) on the latest date for which figures are available; how many people living in Hendon have benefitted from the New Deal for Young People since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The available information is in the tables.
	
		Numbers of people aged 18–24 unemployed for six months or longer in Hendon
		
			 Period Number 
		
		
			 May 1997 310 
			 September 1997 225 
			 May 2004 155 
			 September 2004 140 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Information for the age group 18–25 is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
	2. All figures are seasonally unadjusted. To take account of any seasonal fluctuation in the figures, latest data should be compared with the same month in 1997.
	3. Data provided are claimant count figures.
	4. All figures are rounded to the nearest 5.
	Source:
	Office of National Statistics
	
		New Deal for Young People in Hendon
		
			  Number of individuals 
		
		
			 Starting the programme 1,730 
			 Gaining a job 810 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Data are from the start of the programme in January 1998 to June 2004 which is the latest date for which information is available.
	2. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	Source:
	DWP Information and Analysis Directorate

Carer's Allowance

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy to end the treatment of carers allowance as earnings in the assessment of claimants of income support; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: Carer's allowance is not treated as earnings. However it is treated as an income in determining a customer's entitlement to income support. There are no plans to change this.
	Carer's allowance is an income-maintenance benefit rather than a payment for services provided by the carer. Income support is also a benefit which is intended to provide for a person's day-to-day living expenses. For this reason, carer's allowance has always been taken fully into account in income support. To do otherwise would mean that provision would be made twice over from public funds for the same needs.
	However, people in receipt of income support who are also receiving carer's allowance or who have an underlying entitlement to carer's allowance, are awarded a carer premium with their income support. The premium is paid in addition to other premiums, and, where both the claimant and their partner satisfy the conditions, two carer premiums are paid. The carer premium is currently £25.55 per week.

Child Maintenance

Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his written statement of 28 October 2004, Official Report, columns 55–57WS, on the New Child Support Scheme: Progress Report, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the fall in the number of applications for child maintenance received by the Child Support Agency in the second quarter of 2004.

Chris Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.
	Letter from Mike Isaac to Helen Jackson, dated 15 November 2004
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive. As he is currently on leave I am replying on his behalf.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Written Statement of 28th October Official Report columns 55–57WS on the New Child Support Scheme: Progress Report what assessment he has made for the reasons for the fall in the number of applications for child maintenance received by the Child Support Agency in the second quarter of 2004.
	I am unaware of any specific factors to explain the decrease in the reported number of new applications received by the Agency during the second quarter of 2004/05.

Child Poverty

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what strategy he has put in place to tackle child poverty.

Chris Pond: The Government's strategy for tackling child poverty is set out in "Opportunity for all: Sixth Annual Report 2004" (Cm6239) which we published in September 2004 and further explored in the "Child Poverty Review", published in July 2004 by The Treasury. Both documents are available in the Library.

Child Support Agency

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the average weekly maintenance (a) assessments and (b) payments for (i) one qualifying child, (ii) two qualifying children and (iii) three or more qualifying children for Child Support Agency cases on the (A) old and (B) new system.

Chris Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Steve Webb, dated 15 November 2004
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the average weekly maintenance (a) assessments and (b) payments for (i) one qualifying child, (ii) two qualifying children and (iii) three or more qualifying children for cases on the (A) old and (B) new system.
	The information requested is set out in the following tables. I should, however, say that the information is not directly comparable because of discrepancies in the way it is collected and collated for the different schemes—which are, of course, based on different computer systems. Our current best view of the position is:
	
		
			 Average weekly amount assessed One qualifying child Two qualifying children Three or more qualifying children 
		
		
			 New scheme 24 37 41 
			 Old scheme 40 50 53 
		
	
	The above figures exclude cases with a nil assessment but include those cases were the non-resident parent is on benefit, and on which maintenance would consequently be collected on behalf of the Secretary of State.
	The differences between the average weekly assessments for the old and new scheme was anticipated in the Government's White Paper, "A new contract for welfare: Children's Rights and Parent's responsibilities", published in July 1999.
	
		
			 Average weekly payments One qualifying child Two qualifying children Three or more qualifying children 
		
		
			 New scheme 34 47 56 
			 Old scheme 37 46 50

Child Support Agency

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Child Support Agency cases are waiting to be calculated and paid on the (a) old scheme calculation and old IT system, (b) old scheme calculation and new IT system and (c) new scheme calculation and new IT system.

Chris Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Mike Isaac to Mr. Frank Field, dated 15 November 2004
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Child Support Agency cases are waiting to be calculated and paid on the (a) old scheme calculation and old IT system (b) old scheme calculation and new IT system and (c) new scheme calculation and new IT system.
	As at 30 September 2004, there were around 288,000 applications awaiting a decision to be made—these may or may not result in a maintenance assessment. Of these applications:
	(a) 12,000 are awaiting decision under the 'old scheme' on the old IT system
	(b) 14,000 are awaiting decision under the 'old scheme' on the new IT system
	(c) 262,000 are awaiting a decision under the 'new scheme' on the new IT system
	Of the work in hand we are trying to trace the non-resident parent in approximately 20,000 cases, which cannot be progressed until we have an address. There is also an element of new intake that has not had sufficient time since the application was made to have progressed.
	Typically around 40% of the cases will be closed before reaching the assessment stage. Applications close for a variety of reasons. The main reasons are that the parent with care withdraws the application, perhaps due to a reconciliation, or having agreed private arrangements with the non-resident parent.
	The reference to the new IT system includes cases that, in the normal course of events would be held on that system but are instead being processed clerically.

Child Support Agency

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 13 October 2004, Official Report, column 289W, on the Child Support Agency, for what reasons referrals for information to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency were unsuccessful in gaining the information sought.

Chris Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Steve Webb, dated 15 November 2004
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Answer of the 13 October, Official Report, column 289W, on the Child Support Agency, for what reasons referrals for information to the DVLA were unsuccessful in gaining the information sort.
	The reason that the balance of referrals were unsuccessful is that there was no matching client and vehicular details held on the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency's database.

Child Support Agency

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effect of change requests made by Ministers in relation to the CS2 computer system on the operations of the Child Support Agency.

Chris Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Mike Isaac to Mr. Paul Goodman, dated 15 November 2004
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive. As he is currently on leave I am replying on his behalf.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of change requests made by Ministers in relation to the CS2 computer system on the operation of the Childs Support Agency.
	All requests for change go through a rigorous process intended to give assurance that they are genuinely needed to permit the service provided by EDS to meet the original requirement in terms of reliability and functionality.

Child Support Agency

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the average number of Child Support Agency staff who deal with each case brought to the Agency by parents with care.

Chris Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Mike Isaac to Mr. Paul Goodman, dated 15 November 2004
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive. As he is currently on leave I am replying on his behalf.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the average number of Child Support Agency staff who deal with each case brought to them by parents with care.
	I am unable to answer this question as we do not record information on the numbers of staff who deal with each case.

Child Support Agency

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the (a) absence rates due to sickness and (b) turnover rates for Child Support Agency staff were for each month of the last calendar year.

Chris Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Mike Isaac to Mr. Paul Goodman, dated 15 November 2004
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive. As he is currently on leave I am replying on his behalf.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the (a) absence rates due to sickness and (b) turnover rates for CSA staff were for each month of the last calendar year.
	(a) Absence rates due to sickness for CSA staff for each month of the last calendar year are as follows:
	
		
			 2003 Sickness percentage rate (in month) 
		
		
			 January 5.9 
			 February 5.2 
			 March 4.9 
			 April 5.4 
			 May 5.3 
			 June 5.7 
			 July 6.2 
			 August 6.3 
			 September 6.5 
			 October 6.8 
			 November 7.1 
			 December 6.5 
		
	
	(b) Turnover rates for CSA staff for each month of the last calendar year are as follows:
	
		
			   2003 Leavers excluding (temporary) contract end and transfers to other parts of DWP—Percentage(62) 
		
		
			 January 0.6 
			 February 0.5 
			 March 0.4 
			 April 0.5 
			 May 0.6 
			 June 0.7 
			 July 1.0 
			 August 1.3 
			 September 1.0 
			 October 1.0 
			 November 1.0 
			 December 0.7 
		
	
	(62) Monthly leavers shown as a percentage of the staff in post for that calendar month.

Child Support Agency

Anne Picking: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many non-resident parents are losing money as a result of not being transferred to the new Child Support Agency computing system.

Chris Pond: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Wycombe (Mr. Goodman) on 18 December 2003, Official Report, columns 1089–90W.

Child Support Agency

Anne Picking: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much maintenance in total was received through the Child Support Agency by the child and resident parent in the financial years (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03.

Chris Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.
	Letter from Mike Isaac to Anne Picking, dated 15 November 2004
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive. As he is currently on leave I am replying on his behalf.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much maintenance was received through the Child Support Agency by the child and resident parent in the financial years (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03.
	The total maintenance received through the Child Support Agency's Collection Service was:
	
		£000
		
			  2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Paid to the Parent with Care 375,199 423,680 
			 Recovered for the Secretary of State 153,251 148,861 
			 Was received in Total 528,450 572,541 
		
	
	Sources:
	The Total received is published in the Child Support Agency, Annual Report and Accounts.
	The amount paid to the Parent with Care and the amount recovered for the Secretary of State is sourced from the Agency's General Ledger.

Child Support Agency

Anne Picking: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the administrative cost of running the Child Support Agency was in financial years (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03.

Chris Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Mike Isaac to Anne Picking, dated 15 November 2004
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive. As he is currently on leave I am replying on his behalf.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the administrative cost of running the Child Support Agency was in the financial years (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03.
	The net administration costs as detailed in the 2002–03 Child Support Agency Annual accounts were:
	£294.286m for the year ended 31st March 2003
	£290.413m for the year ended 31st March 2002

Child Support Agency

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his written ministerial statement of 28 October 2004, Official Report, columns 55–57WS, on the new child support scheme progress report, what the average weekly child support maintenance payment to parents with care for the month of October is; how many new scheme cases were not able to be progressed under the new system with respect to Quarter 4 2003–04 onwards and schemes to date; if he will list the reasons for the closure of applications; when the Child Support Agency (CSA) will start properly to manage performance in the area of compliance; and what the fundamentals of the special exercise to be employed to determine the CSA's achievement of its accuracy target at the end of March 2005 are.

Chris Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Mike Isaac to Ms Annabelle Ewing, dated 15 November 2004
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive. As he is currently on leave I am replying on his behalf.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Written Ministerial Statement of 28th October Official Report columns 55–57WS on the new child support scheme progress report what the average weekly child support maintenance payment to parents with care for the month of October is; how many new scheme cases were not able to be progressed under the new system with respect to Quarter 4 2003–04 onwards and schemes to date; if he will list the reasons for the closure of applications; when the Child Support Agency (CSA) will start properly to manage performance In the area of compliance; and what the fundamentals of the special exercise to be employed to determine the CSA's achievement of its accuracy target at the end of March 2005 are.
	The headings below provide a summary of your questions.
	Average weekly child support maintenance payment:
	I am unable to provide the average weekly child support maintenance for October at this present time. However, I can provide the figures for September:
	
		Average weekly payment: September 2004 (£)
		
			  
		
		
			 One qualifying child 33.72 
			 Two qualifying children 46.76 
			 Three qualifying children 55.67 
		
	
	New Scheme cases that have not been progressed:
	The information below shows the number of stuck cases that relate to our top ten most problematic classifications:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 29 December 2003 63,746 
			 26 January 2004 75,337 
			 23 February 2004 47,725 
			 22 March 2004 52,538 
			 19 March 2004 39,126 
			 17 May 2004 34,143 
			 14 June 2004 34,614 
			 12 July 2004 36,031 
			 9 August 2004 37,703 
			 6 September 2004 38,941 
			 4 October 2004 40,009 
			 1 November 2004 41,985 
		
	
	These figures are collated on a weekly basis not calendar month so, they are shown four weekly.
	The reasons for closure of applications:
	Applications close for a variety of reasons the main reason being that the parent with care withdraws the application, perhaps due to reconciliation, or having agreed private arrangements with the non-resident parent. Other reasons are if the parent with care moves off benefit and no longer wishes to pursue the application, or if the parent with care is unable to provide sufficient information to establish the identity of the non resident patent.
	Management of Compliance:
	The Agency now has the management information available from its new computer system to monitor its performance in respect of case and cash compliance on the 'new scheme'. We have developed our own payment tracking tool which will enable us to better manage our performance in this area. We are already seeing emerging evidence that performance is improving as a result of these initiatives.
	Accuracy target:
	In February and March 2005 a special exercise will measure a statistically valid sample of cases. This will determine the extent to which the last decision for all maintenance calculations is correct to the nearest penny.

Child Support Agency

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the proposed changes to the Child Support Agency service in Workington have been subject to rural proofing.

Chris Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Mike Isaac to Mr. Tony Cunningham dated 15 November 2004
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive. I am providing this in Mr. Smith's absence.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the proposed changes to the Child Support Agency service in Workington have been subject to rural proofing.
	The Agency has considered the rural proofing checklist and is content that the proposed changes to our service in Workington meet the challenges listed. Although we will no longer have face to face staff actually based in Workington we will continue to deliver equivalent levels of service to the rest of the country by staff based elsewhere.
	I hope that this is helpful.

Consultants

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been spent by his Department on (a) advertising and (b) public relations consultants in (i) 1996–97 and (ii) the latest year for which figures are available.

Jane Kennedy: The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in June 2001 and does not employ advertising or public relations consultants.
	I also refer my right hon. Friend to PQ152855 of 24 May 2004, Official Report, column 1464W, and PQ191736 of 3 November 2004, Official Report, column 341W.

Departmental IT

Brian White: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of the Department's (a) implemented and (b) planned computer systems use open source software; and what plans are in place to raise this level.

Jane Kennedy: The Department for Work and Pensions does not currently use open source software in any of its current computer systems.
	However, we have taken part in the recent Office of Government Commerce 'Proof of Concept' trials of open source software. As a result we are working on an IT strategy and enterprise IT architecture which will take into account the reducing risk in the marketplace and allow us to take advantage of open source software in the future.
	Our procurement of software solutions follows Government OSS policy, which does not require the raising of levels of OSS usage in Government, rather that Government considers OSS solutions alongside proprietary ones in IT procurements and that contracts should be awarded on a value for money, case by case basis. The policy can be viewed at www.govtalk.gov.uk.

Departmental Staff

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of the staff of the Department in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003 were people with disabilities.

Maria Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on 9 November 2004, Official Report, column 620w.

EU Commissions

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many times during the Greek Presidency of the EU (a) the Technical Committee on information processing, (b) the Committee for implementation of the action programme to promote gender equality and (c) the Committee for implementation of the action programme to tackle discrimination met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations each Committee produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of the Committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Pond: There were two meetings of the Technical Commission on Data Processing during the Greek Presidency. The Technical Commission is created under Regulation (EEC) 574/72 Article 117c and is charged with modernising the exchange of data between social security institutions for the purposes of implementing Regulation (EEC) 1408/71. This Regulation, founded on Article 42 of the EC Treaty co-ordinates national social security schemes so as to protect the rights of migrant workers. Please note that "social security" in this context includes access to health care.
	The two meetings were held in Brussels on 4 and 5 March and 3 and 4 June respectively. Officials from DWP attended both meetings and an official from the Department Health also attended the second meeting.
	At the first meeting the agenda was dominated by issues concerning pension claims, in particular steps to accelerate awards where the pensioner had been insured in more than one EU state in the course of his or her working life via implementation of a long standing procedure (Administrative Commission Decision 118) providing for the early exchange of insurance records. This is in the process of migration from paper or magnetic tape format to electronic interchange. The UK has supported this change while at the same time minimising any consequences for national computer applications.
	Other matters discussed included (1) the first draft of the Technical Commission's forthcoming work programme for 2004–08 (2) progress on the Co-webs project which aims to link national social security websites so as to provide a coherent and consistent information source for migrant workers, and (3) a report and discussion on pension clearance times reported by all member states. The UK has taken a particularly active part in this last mentioned as a means both of identifying bottle necks in the present processes and also so as to inform targets against which performance can be measured.
	The second meeting covered progress on these issues but also certain technical matters concerning the (then) proposed introduction of the European Health Insurance Card (E-HIC). Specifically the meeting addressed the issue and maintenance of code lists for institutions which exchange data. The proposals adopted do not create any problems or issues for the UK.
	Neither meeting addressed financial issues, any such question being outside its remit.

EU Commissions

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many times during the Greek Presidency of the EU the Administrative Commission on Social Security for Migrant Workers met; how many working parties exist of the Administrative Commission on Social Security for Migrant Workers; how many times each of those working parties met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations the Committee produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of the Committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Pond: The Administrative Commission on Social Security for Migrant Workers met twice during the Greek Presidency, on 26–27 March and 17–18 June 2003. Officials from the Department for Work and Pensions attended the meetings together with officials from the Department of Health and the Inland Revenue.
	The Administrative Commission deals with all administrative questions and questions of interpretation arising from the provisions of Regulation (EC) 1408/71 on the application of social security schemes to employed and self-employed persons and to members of their families moving within the Community.
	The Administrative Commission has one working party. It met on two occasions during the Greek Presidency, on 12 February when an official from the Inland Revenue attended, and on 9 April when an official from the Department of Health attended. The meetings of the Administrative Commission and its working party were all held in Brussels.
	During the Greek Presidency the Administrative Commission agreed on decisions concerning: the introduction of the European Health Insurance Card; a uniform interpretation of the European Court of Justice judgment in the case of Elide Gottardo v. INPS; and on a revision of Administrative Commission Decision 118 of 20 April 1983 concerning the conditions for the early exchange of insurance records, following up work carried out by the Technical Commission on Data Processing. The Administrative Commission discussed several other matters, which required further deliberation at subsequent meetings.
	UK officials raised issues relating to the need for a transitional period for the European Health Insurance Card during which the current E111 paper form and the new card would both be in circulation; requested clarification of the legal basis for the proposed Decision concerning the Gottardo case; informed the other delegations of the UK's new tax credit for children; and supported the European Commission proposal for better monitoring of the application of Community law. No specific financial issues were raised.
	For general information on the Greek Presidency, I refer the hon. Member to 'Developments in the European Union, January to June 2003, the Greek Presidency' Cm6097, which was laid before Parliament in January 2004.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU (a) the Advisory Committee on the implementation of the Community action programme to combat social exclusion, (b) the Advisory Committee on the free movement of workers and (c) the Technical Committee for the implementation of regulations concerning the free movement and employment of workers met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations each Committee produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of each Committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Pond: There were two meetings of the Advisory Committee on the implementation of the Community action programme to combat social exclusion during the Greek Presidency—on 5 February and 3 April 2003. Both took place in Brussels: the first was attended by a DWP official, the second by two DWP officials. At both meetings the main points raised by UK Government experts were on the Commission's proposals for an international peer review process. The UK sought to make the process more flexible in order to maximise the ability of this programme to meet its objectives—mutual learning on social inclusion matters. Points raised were largely technical but also impacted on the way that funds were to be spent.
	Other matters on which UK representatives intervened included proposals for the development of new indicators of social exclusion; a suggested series of seminars on the future of social inclusion after enlargement; and the tendering process for the second round of transnational exchange programmes. Interventions on these matters covered both technical and financial issues.
	During the Greek Presidency, the EU provided financial support to a range of projects and studies as a result of the deliberations of the Advisory Committee on the implementation of the Community action programme to combat social exclusion. During this period, the UK Government took no direct action as a result of the Committee's recommendations but it did begin preparations for a peer review supported by the action programme.
	There was one meeting of the Advisory Committee on Freedom of Movement for Workers—on 9 January in Brussels. The Committee consists of representatives of Governments, employers and trade unions of each EU Member State. An official of the Department for Work and Pensions attended. The following matters were discussed on that occasion:
	Enlargement of the EU, including transitional arrangement for free movement of workers from the new Member States.
	The "SOLVIT" system of solving problems in the Internal Market.
	The EURES (EURopean Employment Services) network, including the EURES charter.
	European Commission proposals concerning the rights of third-country nationals.
	Recent judgements of the European Court of Justice concerning freedom of movement.
	A Communication from the European Commission: "Free movement of workers-achieving the full benefits and potential" (COM(2002)694 final).
	The UK representative did not raise specific technical or financial issues at the meeting.
	The Committee did not agree recommendations during the period of the Greek Presidency. The European Commission took into account the comments of individual members of the Advisory Committee on the matters discussed above.
	There was one meeting of the Technical Committee on Freedom of Movement for Workers—on 8 January 2003 in Brussels. An official of the Department for Work and Pensions attended.
	The same matters were discussed as at the Advisory Committee on 9 January, with the exception of European Commission proposals concerning the rights of third-country nationals, and with the addition of a proposed Directive on the rights of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the EU.
	The UK representative did not raise specific technical or financial issues at the meeting.
	The Committee did not agree recommendations during the period of the Greek Presidency. The European Commission took into account the comments of individual members of the Technical Committee on the matters discussed at the meeting and, at the suggestion of the UK Government representative, sought further written comments on the EURES Charter because a number of other Member States were not represented at the meeting.
	For general information on the Greek Presidency I refer the hon. Member to 'Developments in the European Union, January to June 2003, the Greek Presidency' Cm6097 which was laid before Parliament in January 2004.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU the Advisory Committee on incentives in the field of employment met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (a) technical and (b) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations the Committee produced during that period; what actions were (i) proposed and (ii) taken by (A) the EU and (B) the UK Government as a result of the Committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Pond: There was one meeting of the Committee on Community incentive measures in the field of employment during the Greek Presidency, on 12 June 2003 in Brussels. An official from the Department for Work and Pensions represented the UK. The standard approach of the United Kingdom Government to the work of this Committee is to seek assurances that all the action being supported are in line with the agreed aims of the programme set out at Decision No 1145/2002/EC of 10 June 2002 and to contribute to the Lisbon reform agenda.
	During the Greek Presidency the Committee provided an opinion on the implementation of activities under the 2003 work programme on incentive measures in the field of employment and on revision of the general guidelines for the implementation of the activities and the work programme for 2003. The European Commission carried forwards the implementation of the detailed measures within the work programme. Whilst the UK Government did not take any specific, significant action in response to the matters considered by the Committee, the work of the programme supports understanding of the effectiveness of a variety of measures that may support strategies to promote employment and employability.
	For general information on the Greek Presidency I refer the hon. Member to 'Developments in the European Union, January to June 2003, the Greek Presidency' Cm6097 which was laid before Parliament in January 2004.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many times during the Greek Presidency of the EU the Committee of the European Social Fund met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (a) technical and (b) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations the Committee produced during that period; what actions were (i) proposed and (ii) taken by (A) the EU and (B) the UK Government as a result of the Committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Pond: The European Social Fund Advisory Committee met twice during the Greek Presidency. The meetings were held in Brussels on 21 March 2003 and 18 June 2003. At both meetings the UK Government representative raised a number of technical issues related to improving the effectiveness of European Social Fund programme management. No financial issues were raised. The Committee did not produce any recommendations.
	For general information on the Greek Presidency I refer the hon. Member to 'Developments in the European Union, January to June 2003, the Greek Presidency' Cm6097, which was laid before Parliament in January 2004.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU the Technical Adaptation Committee on (a) the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work, (b) the minimum safety and health requirements for improved medical treatment on board vessels and (c) the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to chemical, physical and biological agents at work met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations the Committee produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (x) the EU and (y) the UK Government as a result of the Committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Pond: None of the bodies listed met during the currency of the Greek presidency of the EU.

Fair Trade

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether it is his policy to ensure that hospitality within his Department is sourced from fair trade producers wherever possible within the boundaries set by the public procurement rules.

Jane Kennedy: The Department for Work and Pensions policy is always to ensure that hospitality is sourced from fair trade producers wherever possible and within the boundaries set by the public procurement rules. In making commercial decisions, ethical and fair trade issues are considered across the whole supply chain.

Free Television Licences (Rhondda)

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in each ward of the Rhondda are (a) entitled to free television licences and (b) have claimed free television licences.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is not available in the format requested.
	The latest data giving the numbers of those aged 75 or over in each ward of Rhondda is shown in the following table. The number of over 75s in a ward will not match the number of free TV licences issued, since television licences cover households rather than individuals.
	
		
			 Ward name Claimants aged 75 or over 
		
		
			 Cwm Clydach 245 
			 Cymmer 430 
			 Ferndale 375 
			 Llwyn-y-pia 195 
			 Maerdy 245 
			 Pentre 475 
			 Pen-y-graig 480 
			 Porth 450 
			 Tonypandy 310 
			 Trealaw 355 
			 Treherbert 570 
			 Treorchy 725 
			 Tylorstown 295 
			 Ynyshir 325 
			 Ystrad 550 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The figures are based on recipients of winter fuel payments.
	2. Data is the latest currently available, winter 2003–04.
	3. All benefit counts at ward level are rounded to a multiple of five.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre

Fuel Poverty

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with colleagues at the (a) Department of Trade and Industry, (b) Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and (c) Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on the case for the welfare benefits system to assist fuel-poor households who cannot be removed from fuel poverty by energy efficiency improvements; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Pond: We are working closely with colleagues across Government, particularly the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department for Environment and Regional Affairs and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, to establish how the Department for Work and Pensions can best contribute to the eradication of fuel poverty. The Department for Environment and Regional Affairs will be publishing the Fuel Poverty Action Plan before the end of the year which will set out the Government's strategy on fuel poverty for 2005 and beyond.
	We have already seen good progress in reducing fuel poverty through the assistance provided by Warm Front. The Department for Environment and Regional Affairs has introduced Benefit Entitlement Checks for those who, at the time of application, do not qualify for assistance from Warm Front. These checks provide both the potential of increasing household income and enabling households to benefit from measures under Warm Front.

Incapacity Benefit

Keith Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are claiming incapacity benefit in (a) the city of Manchester and (b) Manchester, Withington constituency.

Maria Eagle: The information is in the table.
	
		Numbers of incapacity benefits claimants at May 2004
		
			  
		
		
			 City of Manchester 37,200 
			 Manchester Withington parliamentary constituency 4,500 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.
	2. Figures include all incapacity benefit (IB) and severe disablement allowance claims (including IB credits only cases).
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent. sample

Incapacity/Severe Disablement Benefit

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants who relinquished incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowances in each year from 1997 (a) entered training and employment programmes other than Access to Work, Work Preparation and Workstep, (b) moved on to other benefits and (c) reached pensionable age.

Maria Eagle: The information is in the table.
	
		IB/SDA terminations(63) in a period, by whether entering a training/employment programme(64), another benefit 3 is claimed, or State Pension age is imminent
		
			 Period in which IB/SDA claim terminates: All Terminations(63) Entered training/ employment programme(78) , (64) , (66) , (67) , (68) , (69) , (70) Moved to another benefit(77) , (65) , (71) , (72) , (73) Terminated claim within six months of state pension age(77) , (74) , (75) , (76) 
		
		
			 1 March 1996 to 28 February 1997 951,700 — 252,100 95,100 
			 1 March 1997 to 28 February 1998 936,400 — 236,300 104,200 
			 1 March 1998 to 28 February 1999 858,400 3,500 216,000 94,300 
			 1 March 1999 to 29 February 2000 829,200 4,100 197,700 107,300 
			 1 March 2000 to 28 February 2001 707,300 4,500 176,100 102,500 
			 1 March 2001 to 28 February 2002 702,400 11,900 171,800 110,000 
			 1 March 2002 to 28 February 2003 692,300 18,200 168,000 117,100 
			 1 March 2003 to 29 February 2004 690,800 19,600 173,700 120,600 
		
	
	(63) Figures are based on persons claiming severe disablement allowance, long-term or short-term incapacity benefit, credits only cases, and those persons claiming IB but who have their benefit extinguished for reasons such as an overlap with another benefit, or because of hospitalisation.
	(64) Training/employment programmes in this case are: New Deal for Young People (NDYP), New Deal for Long Term Unemployed (NDLTU), New Deal for Lone Parents (NDLP), New Deal for Partners Unemployed (NDPU), New Deal for Musicians (NDfM), New Deal Innovation Fund (NDIF), New Deal Disabled People (NDDP), Basic Skills, Joint Claims, Work Based Learning for Adults (WBLA), Employment Zones (EZs) and Action Teams. Data for employment/training programmes prior to 1998 is not available.
	(65) Other benefits in this instance are income support (IS), jobseeker's allowance (JSA) and pension credit (Guarantee credit only/Guarantee and savings credit). Family credit and disability working allowance are excluded as "other benefits" as they were replaced in October 1999 by working families tax credit and disabled persons tax credit (subsequently replaced by new tax credits).
	(66) Data for New Deal 50-Plus (ND50) is not included as the database for this programme is still under development.
	(67) Movements to a training/employment programme include some people who have been on a programme at the same time as IB/SDA, but whose participation in the programme continues after the IB/SDA claim ceases.
	(68) Only cases, which move to one of the listed training/employment programmes within 91 days from the end of their IB/SDA claim, will be counted. Some cases will move to training/employment programmes after 91 days: Such cases will not be counted as a move to a training/employment programme.
	(69) Claimants shown as starting an employment/training programme may also appear in the 'Move to another benefit' column. For example they may have moved onto JSA and then almost immediately begun an employment/training programme.
	(70) There will be some additional IB/SDA claimants who undertake training/employment programmes (e.g. New Deal for Disabled People) while remaining on IB/SDA for the whole period. These cases are not covered in the table, which only covers those who have ceased to claim IB/SDA.
	(71) Movements to another benefit includes some people who have claimed IS/PC at the same time as IB/SDA but whose IS/PC claim continues after the IB/SDA claim ceases.
	(72) Only cases that move to one of the other listed benefits within 91 days from the end of their IB/SDA claim will be counted. Some cases will move to other benefits after 91 days: Such cases will not be counted as a move to another benefit.
	(73)
	(74) Some of the cases shown as having moved to another benefit may have now terminated.
	(75)State pension age is currently 60 years for women and 65 years for men.
	(76)Claimants shown as terminating a claim within 6 months of state pension age may also appear in the "moved to another benefit" column, as they may have subsequently been awarded either IS or PC.
	(77)IB/SDA claimant data is held on a computer system called INCAP; RP (and WB and BB) data is held on a computer system called PSCS; INCAP and PSCS are linked because both cover contributory benefits and require information on the claimant's NI contributions history. Once an IB claimant gets within six months of SPA, their RP award can start to be built on PSCS i.e. PSCS and its operators begin calculating how much RP will be payable once SPA is reached. At that point, the claimant disappears from the INCAP side of the system and appears on the PSCS side (though obviously they continue to be paid the relevant rate of IB via PSCS until they reach SPA when RP kicks in). Since our IB/SDA data obviously comes from INCAP, these claimants reaching SPA can effectively disappear from our IB/SDA data (from INCAP) any time in the six months before they reach SPA.
	Notes:
	1. Caseload figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
	2. Figures based on a 5 per cent. sample, are subject to a degree of sampling variation.
	3. Some IB/SDA end dates will have been estimated at the end of a quarter, where the true end date is not known.
	4. A person is counted only once in each period, regardless of the number of times they claim and subsequently leave each benefit.
	5. SDA is not available to new claimants from 6 April 2001. From this point, disabled people, whose period of incapacity begins before the age of 20 (or 25 if in education or training before the age of 20), may be able to receive incapacity benefit without having to satisfy the National Insurance contribution conditions. SDA recipients aged below 20 at the cut-off point will transfer on to IB at the long-term rate in April 2002. Existing recipients can continue to receive the benefit for as long as they satisfy the conditions of entitlement for the benefit.
	Sources:
	(78)IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent. samples.
	(79)IAD Master Index, 100 per cent. database.

Interim Benefit Payments

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of (a) the number of interim benefit payments and (b) gross public expenditure on those payments in each year since 1997 to cover delays in payments of social security benefits and tax credits.

Chris Pond: Information on interim benefit payments to cover delays is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Interim payments are not benefit as such but are converted into benefit when a substantive benefit decision is made.
	With regard to tax credits, interim payments are made when the usual payment methods have broken down and are part of the annual entitlement. Interim payments to tax credit claimants are explained more fully in the Comptroller and Auditor General's Standard Report 2003–04 [at paragraph 2.14] which was published on 26 October 2004

Jobcentre Plus Offices

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans there are to increase the number of services available to people from Jobcentre Plus offices.

Jane Kennedy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to my hon. Friend.
	Letter from David Anderson to David Taylor, dated 15 November 2004
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning the number of services available to people from Jobcentre Plus offices. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Jobcentre Plus is continuously modernising and improving the services it provides to its customers. In the course of a four year programme, social security offices and Jobcentres are being replaced by Jobcentre Plus offices in which customers can make enquiries about their benefits and job opportunities in one place. The programme has currently rolled out a total of 537 sites, which is over half the eventual total.
	In terms of office design and customer service, our emphasis has been on reducing waiting times and eliminating referrals between offices. New measures include increased telephone contact facilities, a new appointments system and nominated Personal Advisers offering advice and support on job readiness and benefit matters. As part of our modernisation programme, we are reinvesting in front line, customer facing services.
	We are also providing improved customer access through telephone contact centres and the Internet. The staff at telephone contact centres are able to take applications for benefit over the telephone and deal with customer enquiries.
	I hope this is helpful.

Natural Gas Infrastructure

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what targets have been set for the Health and Safety Executive in respect of time elapsing from application for approval of large scale natural gas infrastructure to the completion of assessment; what the performance against target has been in each of the last five years; and what steps he is taking to ensure timely assessments are carried out.

Jane Kennedy: holding answer 11 November 2004
	A large scale natural gas infrastructure project would be subject to the Control of Major Accident Hazard Regulations 1999 (COMAH) which are enforced by the Health and Safety Executive and the Environment Agency acting jointly as the competent authority. These regulations require the operator to submit a "pre-construction safety report" to the competent authority for assessment three to six months before construction starts. Construction cannot begin until the competent authority has advised the operator of its conclusions and the operator is then required to produce a pre-operational safety report.
	The competent authority's publicly available safety report assessment manual gives the timescale for completion of the assessment of the pre-operational safety reports as twelve months, but notes that there may be reasons where this cannot be achieved. There are no timescales for pre-construction safety reports.
	The competent authority can confirm that no large scale natural gas infrastructure projects have been delayed, in the last five years, due to a failure to make timely assessments.

New Deal

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what targets have been set for the numbers of lone parents taking advantage of the (a) lone parent work premium and (b) in work credit (i) in each of the pilot areas and (ii) as a whole;
	(2)  for how long the proposed pilots of (a) lone parent work premium and (b) in work credit will last;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the number of lone parents who will benefit from the (a) lone parent work premium and (b) in work credit in each of the pilot areas;
	(4)  what steps he will be taking to make those lone parents living in selected pilot areas aware of the (a) lone parent work premium and (b) in work credit;
	(5)  in which districts the (a) lone parent work premium and (b) in work credit will be piloted.

Jane Kennedy: On 25 October 2004, the Department launched pilots of two new financial incentives to help lone parents. The incentives are a Work Search Premium (WSP) of £20 a week, on top of benefits, to assist lone parents during the search for work, and an In Work Credit (IWC) of £40 a week, on top of wages and tax credits, helping work pay during their first year back in full-time work.
	The pilots are testing the effectiveness of the IWC in twelve districts across the country. In eight of these areas the credit is being tested alongside the WSP.
	The aim of the pilot is to gather evidence about the proportion of lone parents taking up the credit and premium and the impact in terms of supporting more lone parents to move off benefit and into work. There is strong evidence, from the evaluation of New Deal for Lone Parents (NDLP), that nearly all lone parents would be more positive about considering work if the gains were over £40 per week. We have, therefore, not made prior assumptions about the impact of the IWC or WSP and have not set targets for take up of either the IWC or WSP in the pilot areas.
	The table provides estimates of the number of lone parents in the pilot districts who meet the eligibility criteria for participating in the pilot.
	
		
			 Jobcentre plus districts WSP and IWC IWC only Income support lone parents eligible 
		
		
			 Bradford Yes — 6,000 
			 Cardiff and Vale Yes — 5,000 
			 Dudley and Sandwell Yes — 7,000 
			 Edinburgh Lothian and  Borders Yes — 7,000 
			 Lancashire West Yes — 7,000 
			 Leicestershire Yes — 7,000 
			 South East London Yes — 14,000 
			 West London Yes — 11,000 
			 Central London — Yes 13,000 
			 Leeds — Yes 8,000 
			 North London — Yes 16,000 
			 Staffordshire — Yes 7,000 
			 Total — Yes 108,000 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Lone parents who have claimed income support for 12 months or longer are eligible for the pilot.
	2. Lone parents who have claimed jobseeker's allowance for 12 months or longer are also eligible for the pilot, though there are very few lone parents with children under 16 on jobseeker's allowance in relation to those on income support.
	Source:
	Estimates based on DWP administrative data from the Working Age Statistical Database (Benefits), April 2004
	Whilst we anticipate that many lone parents will take up the offer of this new financial help, we recognise that not all eligible lone parents will choose to do so. Payment of the work search premium is dependent upon them working closely with NDLP personal advisers and adhering to an action plan. Currently less than nine per cent. of lone parents claiming income support are on NDLP. Whilst our expectation is that the new incentives will encourage greater participation in NDLP, this will remain a voluntary programme and we accept that many lone parents will not yet feel that worksearch or full time employment are the right options for them.
	The level of improved job entries as a result of the new incentives will not be measurable until the pilots have been running for some time. Independent experts will carefully evaluate detailed management information from the pilots and their findings will be published.
	In all districts the pilots are planned to continue until October 2006 but payments to lone parents who join the pilot before that date will continue for some time beyond that, until the end of the payment period (26 weeks for WSP, 12 months for IWC).
	Eligible lone parents will be made aware of these measures at interviews with NDLP personal advisors. The entire eligible population will be invited for interview at least once during the length of the pilot. In addition leaflets, posters and local publicity will be available from the selected pilot areas.

New Deal

Keith Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many lone parents in Manchester, Withington have gained work through the New Deal Programme.

Jane Kennedy: 500 lone parents in Manchester Withington have gained work through the New Deal for lone parents since the start of the programme in October 1998. Figures for lone parents who have gained work through other New Deal Programmes are not available.

Offender Rehabilitation

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what strategy his Department uses to re-introduce offenders into the work force.

Jane Kennedy: We are committed to providing help and advice to those likely to encounter barriers to getting back into work, including ex-offenders.
	We work closely with the Criminal Justice Agencies to ensure, where possible, rehabilitation within the sentence connects to our employment support.
	Through Jobcentre Plus, we provide 'Employment and Benefit Surgeries' in prison for pre-release prisoners and, where possible, we also work closely with the National Probation Service in assisting those supervised in the community.
	Offenders released from prison without work who wish to claim Jobseeker's Allowance are offered appointments with their local Jobcentre as soon as possible after release. Ex-offenders can have early access to Jobcentre Plus help, including the New Deals. The help available covers a range of employability needs including: jobsearch and jobsearch techniques; basic skills and soft skills; through to some types of occupational and vocational skills. In addition, specialist progress2work provision helps those recovering from drugs mis-use, many of whom have an offending background, to get back to work.
	We are also continually strengthening our existing employer links to encourage the employment of customers who have disclosed their criminal record. In doing so, we promote the wider gains to society in reducing re-offending.

Parliamentary Questions

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will reply to the questions from the right hon. Member for Birkenhead (a) references 194278 and 194277 tabled on 25 October and (b) reference 193907 tabled on 22 October.

Chris Pond: Replies were given to my right hon. Friend on 4 November.

Pension Service

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the Pension Service can refuse direct payment at certain post office branches when a pensioner has designated that branch as their preferred account; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Pond: The Pensions Service cannot refuse pensioners direct payment at certain post office branches.
	If a customer chooses to have their benefit or pension paid direct into a post office card account they do not need to designate a branch, as payments through card accounts can be accessed at any post office branch during opening hours.
	The Post Office also has arrangements with a wide variety of banks and building societies and depending on the account held, customers are able to withdraw money across the counter without being charged at any post office branch.

Primary Biliary Cirrhosis

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether primary biliary cirrhosis is a condition for which disability living allowance can be awarded.

Maria Eagle: Entitlement to disability living allowance is not linked to particular disabling conditions, but on the extent to which a severely disabled person has personal care needs and/or walking difficulties as a result of their disability. People with primary biliary cirrhosis can qualify for the allowance if they satisfy the rules which govern entitlement.

Regulatory Impact Assessments

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the aggregate annual cost to (a) business and (b) others obtained by adding up costs recorded in regulatory impact assessments is of the regulations introduced by his Department since 1997;
	(2)  what his latest estimate is of the cost in a year of compliance with regulations imposed by his Department.

Malcolm Wicks: All proposals which impact on business, charities or the voluntary sector require a regulatory impact assessment (RIA) which includes details of the costs, benefits and risks of the proposals. RIAs are subject to public consultation. Copies of final RIAs are available in the Library and on the Department's website.

Somalian Nationals

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what publicly-funded English language courses aimed at providing the language skills needed to gain employment in the UK are available to Somalian nationals.

Jane Kennedy: As part of our commitment to improving the employment rate of ethnic minority people, we offer up to 26 weeks of full time work-focused support through ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages). This support is available to eligible customers including Somali nationals, through the New Deal and Work Based Learning for Adults programmes. It aims to help participants move as far as possible towards Level 1 of the new national Skills for Life standards.
	In addition, those who have difficulty with the English language, including Somali nationals, can access ESOL college provision funded through the Learning and Skills Council—as long as it does not conflict with the terms of their Jobseeker's Agreement.
	People with basic skills needs—English for Speakers of Other Languages—have early entry to training and employment programmes.
	Responsibility for government funded training in Wales and Scotland is devolved to the Welsh Assembly and the Scottish Parliament respectively and in Northern Ireland to the Northern Ireland Office.

Winter Fuel Allowance

Keith Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Manchester, Withington have benefited from the winter fuel allowance in each year since its introduction.

Malcolm Wicks: The number of pensioners in the Manchester Withington constituency who have benefited from a Winter Fuel Payment in each year since 1999–2000 is in the table.
	Information relating to the 1997–98 and 1998–99 winters is not available.
	
		
			  payments made 
		
		
			 1999–2000 12,220 
			 2000–01 12,860 
			 2001–02 12,705 
			 2002–03 12,465 
			 2003–04 12,340 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 5.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. samples.

Winter Fuel Allowance

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people of pensionable age have received the winter fuel allowance in the Easington constituency since its introduction.

Malcolm Wicks: The number of people in the Easington constituency who have received a winter fuel payment in each year since 1999–2000 is in the table. Information relating to the 1997–98 and 1998–99 winters is not available.
	
		
			  Payments made 
		
		
			 1999–2000 14,785 
			 2000–01 16,625 
			 2001–02 16,710 
			 2002–03 16,805 
			 2003–04 16,785 
		
	
	Note:
	Numbers are rounded to the nearest 5.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. samples.

Winter Fuel Allowance

Denis Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people received the winter fuel allowance in the Wansbeck constituency in the last year for which figures are available.

Malcolm Wicks: The number of people in the Wansbeck constituency who received a winter fuel payment in winter 2003–04 was 18,210.
	Notes:
	Numbers are rounded to the nearest 5.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. samples

Winter Fuel Allowance

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of people in Scotland who need to make a claim to receive the 2004–05 winter fuel payment; and how many claims were received on or before 24 September.

Malcolm Wicks: We estimate around 60,000 people in Scotland will turn 60 and become newly entitled to receive a winter fuel payment for 2004–05. In 2003–04 around 35,000 people in Scotland aged 60 received an automatic payment. We would expect the number to be similar in 2004–05. Those people who are not in receipt of certain benefits and therefore do not receive an automatic payment, will need to claim.
	On 24 September, 37,705 completed claim forms for a winter fuel payment had been received from people in Scotland. Some of these were probably from people who would have been paid a winter fuel payment automatically.
	The Government have publicised the availability of winter fuel payments and how to obtain a claim form. It is up to an individual, where a claim is necessary, to decide whether or not to make that claim. They have until 30 March 2005 to make a claim for this winter.

Winter Fuel Allowance

Roger Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will extend eligibility for winter fuel payments to non-pensioner households who qualify for social fund cold weather payments; what estimate he has made of the likely cost of this policy; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: We have no plans to extend winter fuel payments to non-pensioner households which qualify for a cold weather payment. Winter fuel payments are made to pensioners because they are more vulnerable to the effects of cold weather during the winter months than other groups.
	We estimate that the cost of extending winter fuel payments to non-pensioner households that qualify for the social fund cold weather payments would be £300 million in 2004–05.
	Note:
	Actual receipt of a cold weather payment depends on local temperatures as well as meeting qualification conditions. Here it is assumed that all eligible cases would receive a payment of £200.

Work-related Illness

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the economy of work-related illness in (a) England and (b) each region in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The information is not available in the format requested. The latest available figures for England are for the year 1995/96 and are presented in the table.
	However, more up-to-date information does exist for 2001–02 but for Great Britain only. Estimates of the costs to the GB economy of work related illness for 2001–02 are £7.6 billion to £11.6 billion in 2001–02 prices 1 . The statistical data that supported the analysis of the 2001–02 costs provided insufficient detail to yield regional cost breakdowns.
	 1 Source:
	Interim update of the 'Costs to Britain of Workplace Accidents and Work-Related III Health' Health and Safety Executive 2004
	
		Cost to the economy of work related illness—1995 to 1996
		
			  £billion 
		
		
			 England 5.65 to 5.73 
			 South East 1.44 to 1.52 
			 East Anglia 0.06 to 0.08 
			 South West 0.35 to 0.17 
			 West Midlands 0.77 to 0.79 
			 East Midlands 0.2 to 0.24 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 0.18 to 0.22 
			 North West 0.81 to .85 
			 North 0.33 to 0.34 
			 London 1.51 to 1.52 
		
	
	The costs in the table are extracted from: "The costs to Britain of workplace accidents and work-related ill health in 1995–96", Health and Safety Executive, 1999 ISBN 07176 1709 2.
	The cost to the economy is defined as the sum of the following costs: loss of output, administration costs, recruitment costs, medical treatment, and investigation costs to HSE and local authorities. This information relates only to 1995–96 and is in 1995–96 prices.

Youth Unemployment

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what change there has been in youth unemployment in the constituency of Bolsover since 1997.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Skinner, dated 15 November 2004
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about youth unemployment in Bolsover. I am replying in his absence. (197095)
	Between the twelve-month periods ending February 1997 and February 2003, the latest data for which information is available, the number of unemployed people aged 16–24 resident in the Bolsover Parliamentary Constituency fell from 2,000 to 1,000. The figures from the Labour Force Survey are rounded to the nearest thousand and are, as with any sample survey, subject to sampling variability.
	The Office for National Statistics also compiles statistics of those claiming Jobseeker's Allowance for local areas including Parliamentary Constituencies. The number of people aged 18–24 resident in the Bolsover Parliamentary Constituency claiming Jobseeker's Allowance fell from 660 in May 1997 to 385 in September 2004. The data are not seasonally adjusted.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Contingency Planning

Paul Marsden: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what contingency plans have been produced for the evacuation of London following a terrorist attack.

Nick Raynsford: A basic plan has been developed for the mass evacuation of any part of greater London. The plan is scalable and flexible and any response will depend on the nature of an event. It has been developed in conjunction with the relevant emergency services, local authorities, transport operators, and other organisations in London and the surrounding regions. Mass evacuation will be the last resort and is most unlikely to be required. In most circumstances the generic advice would be to go indoors and listen to the media for further advice. It would not be appropriate to disclose the operational details of emergency planning.

Contingency Planning

Paul Marsden: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library contingency plans for evacuating London in the case of a major terrorist attack.

Nick Raynsford: I am unable to place the contingency plan for the evacuation of London in the Library as it contains confidential and sensitive operational details. It is standard policy that we do not place these types of plan in the Library.

Nottingham (Boundary Commission)

Graham Allen: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects the Parliamentary Boundary Commissioner's proposals for Nottingham to be submitted to the Department.

Nick Raynsford: The Boundary Commission for England will put their proposal for Nottingham to the Government as part of the report of the fifth general review. The Boundary Commission for England is required to submit its final report by 12 April 2007. It is a matter for the Commission when, within that time scale, they do so.

Affordable Homes

Tom Cox: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many affordable homes have been built in the London borough of Wandsworth in each of the last five years by (a) Wandsworth council, (b) the Housing Corporation and (c) housing associations; and if he will make a statement.

Keith Hill: The numbers are of new build local authority and registered social landlord social dwellings for rent as reported in building control completions in Wandsworth are as follows:
	
		
			  Number of dwellings for rent 
		
		
			 1999–2000 76 
			 2000–01 3 
			 2001–02 0 
			 2002–03 0 
			 2003–04 51 
		
	
	The figures exclude low cost home ownership schemes and acquisition of existing dwellings by registered social landlords.

Affordable Homes

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what measures are in place to assist key workers to obtain affordable housing in Gloucester; and what discussions he has had with (a) local authorities and (b) housing associations in Gloucestershire on this.

Keith Hill: Housing assistance for key workers within the South West region is available through the key worker Challenge Fund scheme identified by the South West Regional Housing Board. The £10 million scheme will provide affordable housing for rent or home ownership by key workers.
	The Housing Corporation invited bids from housing associations for proposals to assist key public sector workers in the region in sectors experiencing recruitment and retention difficulties. No bid for Gloucester was successful, but within Gloucestershire £809,000 has been allocated to provide 24 units for key workers and in South Gloucestershire £716,000 has been provided for a further 27 dwellings. These dwellings are being provided by Gloucestershire Housing Partnership and Sovereign Housing Association.
	Key workers may also benefit from other shared ownership and homebuy programmes funded by the Housing Corporation to help existing social tenants and those on waiting lists into home ownership.

Building Regulations (Fuel Conservation)

Sue Doughty: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what studies he has made of the extent to which the minimum standards for the conservation of fuel and power required under the building regulations are adhered to.

Phil Hope: The current provisions for the conservation of fuel and power came into effect on 1 April 2002 and, in accordance with normal procedures, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has carried out tests on new dwellings, inspected applications received by a number of building control bodies for approval of proposed works covering all types of buildings, and interviewed contractors. The results are being taken into account in the further review announced in the Energy White Paper.

Census Data

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  when the Local Government Finance Settlement will include updated census data;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the inclusion of updated census data in the Local Government Financial Settlement.

Nick Raynsford: Government are working towards incorporating the 2001 Census data into the Local Government Finance Settlement for 2006–07.

Commercial Property Leases

Win Griffiths: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list those consulted regarding Commercial Property Leases: options for determining or outlawing the use of upward-only rent review clauses; and if he will place copies of the responses in the Library.

Keith Hill: The consultation on Commercial Property Leases: options for deterring or outlawing the use of upward only rent review clauses ended on 30 September. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister specifically consulted the following organisations and bodies:
	Property Interests
	Association of British Insurers
	Association of Properly Bankers
	British Council for Offices
	British Property Federation
	CoreNet Global UK
	Council of Mortgage Lenders
	House Builders Federation
	Investment Properly Forum
	National Association of Pension Funds
	Property Managers Association
	Professional/legal bodies
	Chancery Bar Association
	City of London Law Society
	General Council of the Bar
	Law Commission
	Law Society
	Royal Institute of British Architects
	Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
	Other business interests
	Alliance of Independent Retailers
	British Chambers of Commerce
	British Retail Consortium
	Confederation of British Industry
	Federation of Small Businesses
	Forum of Private Business
	Institute of Directors
	National Association of Pension Funds
	Small Business Bureau
	Devolved bodies
	National Assembly for Wales
	Northern Ireland Executive
	Scottish Executive
	Greater London Assembly
	Other Government bodies
	Countryside Agency
	Small Business Service
	Local Authority Associations
	Association of Chief Estates Officers
	Local Government Association
	Improvement and Development Agency
	Society of Local Authority Chief Executives
	Welsh Local Government Association
	Consumer bodies
	Consumer Congress Secretariat
	National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux
	National Consumer Council
	Welsh Consumer Council
	Environmental bodies
	Entrust
	Environment Council
	Friends of the Earth
	Greenpeace
	Trades Unions
	Trades Union Congress
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has also staged a series of well-attended seminars. A copy of the responses will be made available in the Library of the House in due course.

Community Hospital (Leighton Buzzard)

Andrew Selous: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will ensure that a community hospital is provided in Leighton Buzzard and Linslade as part of the infrastructure supplied under the Sustainable Communities Plan.

Keith Hill: Additional hospital capacity in the Milton Keynes and South Midlands growth area is one of the issues that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's funded "Planning for future of health and social care needs in the MKSM sub region" study is looking at. This study is due to report in summer 2005.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is working closely with other Government Departments to ensure that funding allocations for major services, such as health, respond effectively to growth. In March 2004, the Department of Health announced a funding package for the growth areas which includes: a commitment to including a growth area funding adjustment in future allocations; additional capital funding of £20 million for 2005–06; and additional revenue funding of £20 million for 2004–05 and 2005–06 for primary care trusts (PCTs) in the growth areas. £2.244 million of this revenue funding went to PCTs in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire.

Departmental Staff

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what percentage of the staff in his Department in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003 were people with disabilities.

Phil Hope: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton West on 9 November 2004, Official Report, column 619W.

Departmental Staff

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the consequences will be for the staffing of his Department of the rejection of proposals for an elected regional assembly in the North East.

Nick Raynsford: Staff who had been working on the Regional Assemblies Bill and other preparations for elected regional assemblies are being transferred to other priority work within the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Education Authorities

Mark Hoban: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how each local education authority performed in (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04 against best value performance indicators 159 (a) to (d) , as defined in 2002–03.

Nick Raynsford: Information on the performance of local education authorities against Best Value Performance Indicator (BVPI) 159 (a)–(d) for 2002–03 can be found on the BVPI website www.bvpi.gov.uk. The data for 2003–04 is currently being audited and will be posted on the website in mid-December.

Electrical Standards

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the time scale is for the harmonisation of electrical standards under part P of the building regulations; what the reasons are for the requirement for electricians to pay a registration fee; what that fee is expected to be; and who will determine the level of the fee.

Phil Hope: Part P of the Building Regulations (Electrical safety in dwellings) will come into force on 1 January 2005. The Government have introduced part P to reduce the number of deaths, injuries and fires caused by defective fixed electrical installations. The regulatory impact assessment showed that it would be both practicable and cost-effective to take this step.
	From 1 January anyone carrying out notifiable electrical installation work in dwellings will need to demonstrate that such work meets the requirements in part P. There are two ways in which this can be done.
	First, those with sufficient qualifications, knowledge and experience can choose to join a competent person self-certification scheme authorised under the Building Act 1984. Members of such schemes will be able to self-certify that their work complies with part P. There will be an annual fee to belong to such schemes, the fee level being determined by the scheme operator. For schemes already authorised the fee range is from £300 to £1,000. Fees can be set only to cover running and development costs of the scheme.
	Electrical contractors who choose not to join a scheme and all carrying out notifiable work on a DIY basis will need to submit a building notice to a building control body for each job. In this case there will be a building control fee to be paid. The building control body will then be responsible for inspecting and testing the work to ensure that it is safe.

English Regions Network

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the functions are of the English Regions Network; what guidance has been issued governing its activities; and to whom it reports.

Nick Raynsford: The English Regions Network (ERN) is the co-ordinating body for the eight regional chambers in England, co-ordinating policy responses and commissioning research relevant to all regional chambers.
	The ERN submits its business plan and reports against agreed objectives direct to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Fire Authorities

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance his Department has given fire authorities on (a) minimum levels of provision and (b) response times in drawing up integrated risk management plans.

Nick Raynsford: The old, national standards of fire cover, which set out the speed and weight of response to fire depending on building density, were insufficiently flexible to allow Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRA) to respond to the needs of their communities. Integrated Risk Management Planning allows each FRA to set its own local standards for provision and response in the light of local risk.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister produced guidance in 2003 on the development of Integrated Risk Management Planning to help FRAs determine the most effective and efficient use of their resources.

Fire Authorities

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of fire authorities consultations on integrated risk management plans.

Nick Raynsford: Under Integrated Risk Management Planning (IRMP) it is for each Fire and Rescue Authority (FRA) to assess the needs of its local communities. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is one of the consultees on the annual IRMPs. The Implementation Support Team, drawn from Her Majesty's Fire Service Inspectorate (HMFSI), provided guidance to FRAs throughout the year.

Fire Authorities

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance his Department has issued to fire authorities on (a) minimum provision and (b) response times for specialist equipment carried on incident support units.

Nick Raynsford: The minimum provision and response times for specialist equipment carried on incident support units is a matter for each individual Fire and Rescue Authority (FRA). Any change it proposes in its Integrated Risk Management Planning (IRMP) should form part of the consultation on their action plan. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has issued formal guidance on IRMPs and further guidance is planned.

Fire Authorities

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether projected cost savings from integrated risk management plans for fire authorities include the cost of meeting (a) minimum levels of provision and (b) response times.

Nick Raynsford: Under Integrated Risk Management Planning it is for each Fire and Rescue Authorities to carry out a full risk assessment of its area and decide on the appropriate levels of provision and response times. Any cost savings will reflect those decisions. Any changes to existing provision will be the subject of consultation.

Fire Authorities

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what provision his Department has made for monitoring and assessment of performance against fire authorities' projected risk assessments following the introduction of integrated risk management plans;
	(2)  what provision his Department has made for external audit of fire authorities' projected risk assessments based on integrated risk management plans.

Nick Raynsford: Fire and Rescue Authorities have been and will continue to be subject to an annual external audit.

Fire Safety

Helen Clark: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what changes are planned in the size of the fire safety sector in England and Wales; what estimate he has made of the effects on the funding requirement; whether he has undertaken a risk assessment in respect of such plans; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: I have been asked to reply.
	Prison Service Fire Safety Section has been reorganised.
	Officials have taken full advice on the statutory implications of the restructure and provision of the service. This advice confirms that arrangements following reorganisation will not result in an increased risk to the service.
	Reorganisation will reduce the size of the section, through early retirement, from five staff to three resulting in annual savings of approximately £150,000 a year.

Fire Service

Andrew MacKay: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the (a) staff and (b) consultancy costs were of the (i) Fire Research Department and (ii) HM Fire Service Inspectorate in each quarter since January 2002.

Nick Raynsford: The costs are shown in the following table.
	
		£000
		
			  (a) Staff pay costs (b) Consultancy cost 
			  (i) FRD (ii) HMFSI (i) FRD (ii) HMFSI 
		
		
			 April to June 2003 174 757 5 0 
			 July to September 2003 131 533 39 0 
			 October to December 2003 154 674 135 0 
			 January to March 2004(80) 169 619 273 0 
			 April to June 2004 348 451 62 0 
			 July to September 2004 351 472 86 0 
		
	
	(80) FRD staff pay costs includes staff from fire statistics section from April 2004.
	Figures for January 2002 to March 2003 are not available in the form requested. Staff in these divisions were paid partly from the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions and partly from the Home Office payroll. As a result of machinery of Government changes, complete data is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Fire Service

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has for a regional fire control centre for Nottinghamshire and the East Midlands.

Nick Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister plans to have a national network of resilient fire control centres with one in each Government office region. East Midlands is in the first tranche of the implementation plan and its regional fire control centre should become fully operational early in 2007. A procurement exercise is currently under way for the location of the regional fire control centre and an announcement of the site should be made in the first quarter of 2005.

Green Ministers

John Horam: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many Green Ministers his Office and its predecessors have had since 1997.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was created in May 2002. Since then there have been two Green Ministers. Between 1997 and the creation of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister there were three Green Ministers; two in the Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions, and one in the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions.
	
		
			 Department Green Ministers 
		
		
			 DETR Glenda Jackson, Beverley Hughes 
			 DTLR Alan Whitehead 
			 ODPM Chris Leslie, Phil Hope

High Hedges

Annette Brooke: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects local authorities to begin to accept applications relating to high hedges.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is now finalising Regulations and guidance and expects the system to be fully operational in early 2005, at which point local authorities will be able to process complaints about high hedges.

House Building (Growth)

Mark Hoban: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance has been issued to local authorities about assumptions for the rate of growth of house building above the level set out in Regional Planning Guidance 9.

Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has issued no formal guidance to local authorities about assumptions for the rate of growth of house building above the level set out in Regional Planning Guidance 9, other than that already set out in RPG9. Officials do have regular discussions with the Regional Assembly's officers and committees, which include local authorities, covering the interpretation of Government policy and guidance.

House Building (Growth)

Mark Hoban: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions his Department has had with local authorities in South East England about the infrastructure funds that will be available if house building targets exceed those set out in Regional Planning Guidance 9.

Keith Hill: As part of the Regional Assembly's process of developing the regional spatial strategy for the South East that will replace the Regional Planning Guidance for the South East (RPG9), officials from the Government Office for the South East and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister are involved in a range of discussions with the Assembly and local authorities relevant to that process. They have also worked with the Regional Assembly and local authorities in piloting a new approach on investment in transport infrastructure through the Regional Transport Board.

Housing (Disabled People)

Gregory Barker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what representations he has received on the draft consultation on the guidance to local authorities on best practice in the organisation and delivery of a housing adaptations service for disabled people;
	(2)  what plans he has for legislation to simplify the way in which grant aid for disabled adaptations are managed;
	(3)  what plans he has for legislation to end means testing as an instrument to assess applications for grant aid for disabled adaptations;
	(4)  how much was spent on disabled facilities grants in each of the last 10 years;
	(5)  what the average waiting time between assessment and completion has been in each local authority for people requesting disabled adaptations in their homes in the last 10 years.

Keith Hill: The consultation period for the delivering adaptations consultation documents ended in May 2003, 69 responses were received. The final version of the document "Delivering Housing Adaptations for Disabled People: A Good Practice Guide" was published on 3 November and copies are available in the Library of the House.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, jointly with the Department of Health and the Department for Education and Skills is undertaking a comprehensive review of the DFG programme. The review will look the operation and outcomes of the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) Programme and make proposals to improve its efficiency and fairness. This will include a review of the DFG means test. The review will report to Ministers in May 2005.
	The Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) (England & Wales) Order 2002 came into force on 18 July 2002, and provides local housing authorities with wide discretionary powers to provide assistance for the repair, improvement or adaptations of housing. These powers can be used to provide additional help with adaptations over and above the mandatory entitlements under the DFG legislation.
	Total Disabled Facilities Grant payments to local authorities in England by the Government over the last ten years are:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1994–95 54 
			 1995–96 59 
			 1996–97 55 
			 1997–98 66 
			 1998–99 64 
			 1999–2000 66 
			 2000–01 77 
			 2001–02 88 
			 2002–03 95 
			 2003–04 112 
		
	
	The Government does not collect data on the average waiting time for a DFG.

Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2004, Official Report, column 1323W, on the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme, if he will list the range of measures in place to support local authorities with above average population growth in meeting the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme targets; and which local authorities are involved in meetings with officials from his Department and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs about the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme.

Elliot Morley: I have been asked to reply.
	Defra's Waste Implementation Programme Local Authority Support Unit has identified a number of common waste management issues where support is needed. Support includes guidance on waste composition analysis; a report of Household Waste Recycling Centre sites in England; an assessment of these sites as a resource and the infrastructure requirements for compliance with the WEEE Directive; good practice guidance on bulky waste management; procurement and bulky waste toolkits; good practice case studies on waste collection and bring systems; and the new recyclables capture toolkit. This information can be found on the Local Authority Support website address http://lasupport.defra.gov.uk/.
	In addition the Local Authority Support Unit invited all local authorities to apply for targeted support to help them deal with specific local barriers to improved recycling performance. The scheme has had an excellent response and the Local Authority Support Unit and WRAP's ROTATE programme are providing consultancy support to 317 authorities in England. This support places considerable emphasis on strategic partnerships but also includes help with providing procurement expertise and waste composition analysis, tackling bulky goods, developing estates schemes and increasing diversion rates at Household Waste Recycling Centres.
	The Spending Review 2004 included an overall increase in EPCS of £1.2 billion over 2006–07 and 2007–08 reflecting in part increased costs of waste management arising from EU obligations. Local authorities will also benefit from an extra £275 million of PFI credits over the same period for long term investment. And funds available through the waste Performance Reward Grant will rise from £45 million to £105 million in 2006–07 and £110 million in 2007–08.
	This support, although not directly targeted at authorities planning for above average population growth, will help those authorities move towards more sustainable waste management practices.
	The Authorities involved in the meeting with officials from ODPM and Defra are—Milton Keynes city council, Buckinghamshire county council and the East London Waste Authority. Officials from Defra also meet local authority representative bodies to discuss the operation of the Landfill Allowances Trading Scheme on a regular basis through the scheme's Stakeholder Group.

Local Authority Settlements

Phil Sawford: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he is taking to ensure that local authorities in the growth areas will receive a settlement for 2005–06 in line with the funding formula.

Nick Raynsford: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the right hon. Member for Sleaford and North Hykeham on 11 November 2004, Official Report, column 848W.

Local Government Finance

Douglas Hogg: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will give local authorities more flexibility on how they spend grant support.

Nick Raynsford: In 2004–05 the Government reduced the proportion of ring-fenced grant by a further 2 percentage points to 11.1 per cent., by "unfencing" seven grants, worth some £750 million. For non-schools areas of spending, we continue to seek to give local authorities as much freedom and flexibility as we can.
	Education is a key national priority and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister aims to give schools as much stability, freedom and flexibility in their funding as possible. We have already announced our proposals to provide, from 2006–07, funding for schools through a grant from the Department for Education and Skills to local authorities.
	Details of the proposed funding allocations to each local authority will be announced as part of the provisional local government finance settlement.

Policy Changes (Worcester)

Michael Foster: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely to the Worcester constituency, the effects of changes to his Department's policy since 1997 on the Worcester constituency.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is determined to develop policies to improve the lives of people across the UK, including the West Midlands.
	In the local government finance settlements since the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister took office we have been able to increase the amount of Government grant given to local authorities by £19.1 billion. This is a 30 per cent. increase in real terms and compares with a 7 per cent. cut in the previous four years before 1997–98.
	Worcester city council has received an average annual increase in formula grant since 1997 of 3.4 per cent. Residents of Worcester have also benefited from Worcestershire county council's average increase in grant of 4.6 per cent. each year over this time.
	The transfer of local authority stock to Registered Social Landlords is one of the options for delivering the decent homes programme. Since 1997, Worcester city council has transferred its total stock of 4703 dwellings, of which 2034 were non-decent, to Worcester Community Housing, an RSL. Similarly, since 1997, within Worcestershire county council, Bromsgrove transferred its total stock of 3096 dwellings, of which 255 were non-decent, to Bromsgrove District Housing Trust Ltd, an RSL; and Wyre Forest transferred its total stock of 6056 dwellings to Wyre Forest Community Housing, an RSL.
	This year the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has provided £15.9 million in Supporting People grant to Worcestershire county council, to enable it to deliver housing-related support services to vulnerable people in the area. Currently this provides over 17,000 dwellings of support to a range of people, including homeless families, older people, people with learning disabilities, and young people at risk.
	The Worcestershire Partnership was awarded a Liveability Fund grant worth a total of £3.4 million in March 2004. The Liveability Fund grant for Worcestershire includes funding for environmental service improvements and several park improvements in Worcester City.
	The Neighbourhood Statistics Service provides a wide range of statistical information at parliamentary constituency level, taken from the 2001 Census and other sources. This service is available on the National Statistics website at http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk./.

Post Office

Graham Brady: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the post office branches that have benefited from grants from the Urban Deprived Fund, broken down by (a) parliamentary constituency and (b) local authority area, giving the amount of grant awarded in each case.

Phil Hope: The information requested has been made available in the Library of the House.

Post Office

Graham Brady: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister by what criteria applications from Post Office branches for grant funding from the Urban Deprived Fund are assessed.

Phil Hope: Post offices must be located within the 10 per cent. most deprived wards as measured by the Indexes of Multiple Deprivation 2000. The application must demonstrate that:
	The post office is at risk of closure (due to financial and/or security issues) within two years without the support of the grant.
	The proposed work under the grant will have a significant beneficial impact upon the viability of the business within two years.

Post Office

Clive Efford: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 8 November 2004, Official Report, column 455W, on sub-post offices, whether Neighbourhood Renewal areas (a) are included in his Department's definition of the most deprived urban areas and (b) meet the criteria for the Most Deprived Urban Post Office Fund.

Phil Hope: The information requested is as follows:
	(a) The Indices of Deprivation 2000 (ID 2000) were used to determine eligibility for the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF). The ID 2000 aggregates ward level scores up to district level, using six different ways of measuring deprivation in different types of local authority districts. This includes deprivation in both urban and rural areas. Local authorities that fell within the top 50 most deprived on any of the six measures were eligible for NRF.
	(b) Urban post offices in the 10 per cent. most deprived wards are eligible to apply for the Deprived Urban Post Office Fund (DUPOF). Not all of the 10 per cent. most deprived wards fall in NRF areas.
	According to the ID 2000, two of the 88 most deprived local authorities do not contain wards that are in the 10 per cent. most deprived. Although many of the 10 per cent. most deprived wards fall into the NRF areas, there are some in other local authorities.

Red Ash

Joan Walley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent representations he has received on the use of red ash from pit waste as hardcore in house building.

Phil Hope: It is believed that no recent representations has been received by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister concerning the use of the pit waste known as red ash for use as hardcore in house building.
	However, it is known that problems have been encountered when red ash material has become saturated and consequently expanded. Technical guidance is available of how to deal with this material when it is discovered. If the red ash fill remains in a dry condition then there are few difficulties with the material. Regretfully some individuals have been ill-advised and have suffered unnecessary disruption and expense when the material has been discovered in their dwellings.
	Due to the high concentrations of sulphates in red ash, it is no longer recommended as a construction material under buildings.

Red Ash

Joan Walley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to alter guidance in respect of the use of red ash; and if he will make a statement on BRE 3613.

Phil Hope: The recently published Building Regulations Approved Document Part C—Site preparation and resistance to contamination and moisture—which comes into effect on the 1 December 2004 gives guidance where sulphates are encountered from natural sources, hardcore or other compacted fill material. Practical guidance on construction methods to avoid future problems are included in the document. It is intended to review the document at regular intervals to reflect any future research and investigations into the problem of building where high concentrations of sulphates are known.
	Technical guidance material has also been published by the Building Research Establishment in various reports, namely; BR 424 Building on fill: geotechnical aspects, Digest 472 Optimising ground investigations, and particular reference should be made to Special Digest 1 Concrete in aggressive ground—parts 1 to 4.

Referendums

John Gummer: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much the recent referendum in the North East cost in (a) expenditure by (i) national and (ii) local government, (b) civil service time and (c) local government officers' time.

Nick Raynsford: The information is a follows:
	(a) (i) The following expenditure was incurred by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister:
	
		
			  £million 
		
		
			 Information Campaign 1.22 
			 Costs incurred by the counting officers in running the referendum (81)2.9 
			 Delivery of Yes and No campaign literature 0.5 
		
	
	(81) Approximately
	In addition to this the Electoral Commission incurred some costs, in particular grants of £100,000 each to the Yes and No campaigns and the costs of their information campaign.
	(a) (ii) Any expenditure by local government is a matter for local government.
	(b) The Chief Counting Officer and his staff were responsible for the organisation and operation of the regional referendums. The costs incurred by counting officers are set out above.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's staff time was spent on developing policy and preparing Statutory Instruments related to the referendum, and on the Information Campaign. Detailed information about staff time could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
	(c) Local government officers' time is a matter for local government.

Referendums

John Gummer: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much the proposed referendum in (a) the North West and (b) Yorkshire and Humber cost before the decision to abort them was made in (i) expenditure by (A) national and (B) local government, (ii) civil service time and (iii) local government officers' time.

Nick Raynsford: The information is a follows:
	(a)(i) The only expenditure by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on the proposed referendums in the North West and Yorkshire and the Humber was £2.02 million through the Information Campaign.
	(a)(ii) Any expenditure by local government is a matter for local government.
	(b) The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's staff time was spent on developing policy and preparing Statutory Instruments related to the referendums, and on the information campaign. Detailed information about staff time could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
	(c) Local government officers' time is a matter for local government.

Referendums

John Hayes: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the cost has been of holding the north east referendum; how much has been spent on information products; what proportion of the total was spent by (a) the Government and (b) individuals and groups on either side of the campaign.

Nick Raynsford: The Government spent £1.22 million on the Information Campaign in the north east.
	By law, the designated organisations (the Yes and No campaigns) are entitled to a referendum mailing to electors. The delivery costs of this at £0.5 million, are met by Government. The Yes and No campaigns also received a grant of £100,000 each from the Electoral Commission.
	The Electoral Commission also ran an information campaign. The costs of this are a matter for them.
	Expenditure by the campaigners must be within limits prescribed by law. This expenditure is monitored by the Electoral Commission.

Referendums

John Gummer: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to ask the people of the Eastern Region whether they want an (a) unelected regional assembly and (b) voluntary co-operation between elected councils.

Nick Raynsford: The East of England Region Assembly is a voluntary body recognised by Government for certain purposes. There are no plans to alter that position.
	Voluntary co-operation between elected councils using well-being powers does not require formal public support.

Referendums

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations the Government have received concerning the conduct of the referendum in the north-east.

Nick Raynsford: There have been a small number of complaints about the administration of the poll, which was generally seen to have been conducted with great efficiency.

Regional Assemblies

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 26 October 2004, Official Report, columns 1112–1113W, on regional assemblies, what estimate he has made of the total cost of (a) the free mailing and (b) the free television broadcasts.

Nick Raynsford: The delivery costs of the referendum mailing will be paid for by Government and cost £0.5 million. Other costs associated with the mailing were paid by the "Yes" and "No" campaigns.
	Airtime for the TV broadcasts was provided without fee by the broadcaster. The "Yes" and "No" campaigns met the production costs from their campaign funds.

Regional Chambers

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the grants made to each of the regional chambers in the financial year 2003–04 by non-governmental organisations funded from public funds.

Nick Raynsford: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Any grants received from non-governmental organisations are a matter for individual regional chambers.

Regional Chambers

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what reports have been made by regional chambers to his Department (a) directly and (b) through the Government offices for the regions accounting for the expenditure of central Government funding.

Nick Raynsford: Regional chambers are required to prepare and submit to the relevant Government office an annual business plan containing objectives and targets to be met with the aid of Government grant. They are subsequently required to provide reports against those objectives on agreed dates throughout the year.

Regional Chambers

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of the most recent guidance issued to regional chambers on the expenditure of central Government funds.

Nick Raynsford: Updated business planning guidance for regional chambers is being finalised. A copy will be made available in the Library of the House shortly.

Regional Chambers

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the (a) powers, (b) functions and (c) responsibilities are of each of the regional chambers; and which organisations held those powers, functions and responsibilities prior to the creation of regional chambers.

Nick Raynsford: The voluntary regional chambers undertake a number of functions and responsibilities on behalf of their regions. The main ones are scrutiny of the work of the regional development agencies (RDAs), responsibilities as regional planning bodies, and acting as a regional voice or focal point on key issues of regional interest, such as integrating regional strategies.
	Regional chambers were first designated in 1999 to provide scrutiny of the newly-created RDAs and had no predecessors in that role.
	Regional chambers became the regional planning bodies in all regions in April 2003 with responsibility for preparing draft regional planning guidance. Previously this was the responsibility of non-statutory regional bodies known as regional planning conferences.
	No recognised regional body or organisation provided a single regional voice or provided a regional focal point prior to the existence of regional chambers, though there were informal arrangements in some regions.

Regional Fire Control Rooms

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether existing fire control room staff will be employed in the new fire control centre for the south west; and whether the centre will be located outside the south west.

Nick Raynsford: It is expected that staff in the new regional control rooms will be drawn from existing fire control room staff.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister plans to have a national network of resilient fire control centres with one in each Government Office region.

Regional Government

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many staff were employed by the West Midlands Regional Chamber in each of the last two years; and what the total staff costs were in each year.

Nick Raynsford: At the end of the 2003–04 financial year the West Midlands Regional Assembly (WMRA) employed 11 staff. It currently employs 19 staff.
	Salary costs during the 2002–03 financial year were £167,712. Salary costs during the 2003–04 financial year were £499,418.

Regional Government

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the budget of the West Midlands Regional Chamber was in each of the last two years; and what its source was.

Nick Raynsford: The West Midlands Regional Assembly was awarded Government grant of £1,062,500 in 2002–03, and £1,676,050 in 2003–04.

Regional Government

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  how many members the West Midlands Regional Chamber has; and how much members are paid, including expenses;
	(2)  how many unelected representatives there are in the West Midlands Regional Chamber; and who appointed each unelected representative.

Nick Raynsford: The West Midlands Regional Chamber has a total of 100 members of which 68 are councillors nominated by the 38 local authorities in the region and 32 are regional social and economic stakeholders. Members do not receive any remuneration in respect of their role in the West Midlands Regional Assembly. The total amount of expenses paid in 2003–04 and 2004–05 to date is £765.
	The full list of bodies that nominate stakeholders to the chamber is as follows.
	EMBRACE (ethnic minority black regional action for community empowerment)
	Disability West Midlands
	WM Sustainability Network
	WM Faiths Forum Aston
	WM Health Federation
	WM Federation of Housing Associations
	WM Association of Parish Councils
	WM Trades' Union Council
	Regional Action West Midlands
	Regional Action West Midlands (through UK Youth Parliament)
	WM Life (Cultural Consortium)
	Heart of England Tourism
	Engineering Employers Federation
	Federation of Small Businesses
	West Midlands Higher Education Association
	West Midlands Business Council Chairman
	National Farmers Union
	Confederation of West Midlands Chambers of Commerce
	Institute of Directors
	Chartered Institute of Building
	Royal Institution of Charter Surveyors
	West Midlands Co-operative and Mutual Council Ltd.
	Business in the Community (Regional Assembly Business Sector)
	Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
	Asian Business Forum
	Country Land and Business Association
	Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators.

Regional Government

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to transfer (a) power, (b) responsibility and (c) resources to a regional assembly from West Sussex county council.

Nick Raynsford: There are no plans to transfer any powers, responsibilities or resources to a regional assembly from West Sussex county council.

Regional Government

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the press release of 5 November on regional government, what plans he has to strengthen (a) the regional chamber and (b) the Government office in the north-east.

Nick Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will continue to take forward the proposals we set out in "Your Region—Your Choice" for devolving greater responsibility to the existing bodies in the regions and encouraging them to work closely together.

Regulatory Compliance Costs

John Redwood: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what his latest estimate is of the cost in a year of compliance with the regulations introduced by his Department;
	(2)  what is the aggregate annual cost as measured by regulatory impact assessments is of compliance with regulations introduced by his Department since 1997.

Phil Hope: All proposals which impact on business, charities or the voluntary sector require a regulatory impact assessment (RIA) which includes details of the costs, benefits and risks of the proposal. RIAs are subject to public consultation and copies of final RIAs are available from the Library of the Houses and on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website.

Rushenden Link Road

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the proposed timetable is for the building of the Rushenden Link Road on the Isle of Sheppey.

Keith Hill: It is for Kent county council, as the Local Highway Authority, to bring forward any proposals for the Rushenden Link Road scheme. It has not been set out as a priority for the council during their current Local Transport Plan (LTP) period (to 2005–06). If the scheme is progressed it will be through developer funding and as such the time scale is dependent on the private sector.

Solar Electricity

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if his Department will introduce new building regulations obliging each new development to include solar electricity.

Phil Hope: The building regulations requirements are functional rather than prescriptive to enable compliance in practical and cost-effective ways, and to leave open the possibilities for innovation. It would therefore be inconsistent to prescribe particular technologies such as solar electricity. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is reviewing the energy efficiency requirements however and amendment proposals were published for consultation in July. The proposals include setting minimum overall building performance standards at levels much higher than at present and providing new technical guidance on low and zero carbon systems.

Victims Fund

John Battle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how the victims' fund set up by the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill will be administered.

Paul Goggins: I have been asked to reply.
	The Victims' Fund will be funded by a new surcharge on criminal convictions and fixed penalty notices for criminal offences. The Fund will be used to support new and improved services for victims of crime at both local and national level. Criteria for making application to the Fund and the arrangements for administering the Fund are still being developed.